By Haggai Okumu
Hellen Meli remembers walking miles with other women in Nandi to find casual work to support their families. For many, it was one of the few sources of income. However, the introduction of a tree seedling project created a new opportunity, improving household livelihoods while reducing pressure on the forest.
“Previously, we women used to walk for long distances looking for people to wash clothes for, but when we started a tree nursery project, many things changed. We can now afford school fees for our children without struggling, and most importantly we no longer go into the forest to cut trees for firewood.”
Meli is now part of Murguywet Community-Based Organisation, a grassroots group championing conservation in North Nandi Forest. She and other women have redirected their energy towards raising 130,000 indigenous tree and fruit tree seedlings at their community nursery in Merekei. Every month, their steady output –selling indigenous seedlings and fruit trees to local farmers and conservation projects – generates roughly Ksh.1.2 million annually, which reaches far beyond daily survival. The group’s work has become a quiet anchor for families, funding school fees, healthcare, and security. And as its reputation grows, so does demand, with seedlings spreading across communities and reshaping both livelihoods and landscapes.
Linking livelihood security with forest restoration didn’t emerge by chance. It began in response to degradation in North Nandi Forest. Local leaders recognized an opportunity: women needed alternative livelihoods, and forests needed restoration. Seedling production proved to be the answer to both.
The outcome has been tangible. Lucy Jepkemboi, a group member, explains that income from selling tree seedlings has transformed their daily lives.
“We’ve used the money we earn to buy gas cookers,” she says. “We no longer rely entirely on firewood from cutting trees for cooking.” This simple change – moving away from firewood – has reduced pressure on the forest for fuel wood.
Earnings stretch further. Women can now pay school fees, buy household items, and build a sense of independence. “We have educated our children and bought many things for our households from this work,” Jepkemboi shares.
The model is gaining momentum in the North Rift region beyond Nandi. Miles away in Kessup Forest, Elgeyo Marakwet County, Florence Cherop and her group have raised more than 1.5 million seedlings. Besides income, the initiative has created jobs in the community and enabled women to register for health insurance schemes.
Success brings its ownpressures. Despite these remarkable achievements, the women still face obstacles. The primary challenge is finding buyers for their seedlings. Water shortages and drought have also affected seedling growth, making it difficult to maintain production.
“We have more than one million seedlings,” Cherop notes. “The challenge is the market, and we lack the resources to sustain the activity.”
Despite these hurdles, the women continue to see possibility. Every seedling raised represents more than a restored tree. It’s a pathway to dignity, proof that women can build secure livelihoods whilst healing the land they depend on.