Kunsu (Ash), Sept. 20, GNA – Participatory Development Associates (PDA) a human-centred organization working to empower communities, has planted 200 tree seedlings to launch its 20th anniversary at Kunsu and its environs in the Ahafo Ano South West District.
The exercise, which was done in collaboration with the Ghana Forestry Commission, was in support of the government’s “Green Ghana Project”, to restore the country’s degraded forest reserves.
Among the tree species planted were teak, royal palm, coconut and others.
Mr Edem Agbe, Managing Director of PDA speaking at a ceremony to commence the exercise said PDA was a wholly Ghanaian human-centred organisation working with communities, governments, local and international organisations to empower grassroots people and communities to take control of, and lead their own development processes.
He said the tree planting exercise formed part of the activities to mark the 20th anniversary of the organization, which was being held on the theme “Twenty years of Galvanizing Action and Research”.
Mr Agbe said promoting tree planting had become one of the most critical human activities to deal effectively with, especially with the prevailing threats of climate change.
He said trees were a unique creation of God that played an important role in the existence of mankind, so “we took it upon ourselves to plant 200 tree seedlings to launch our 20th anniversary”.
“Without oxygen, mankind will not survive,” Mr. Agbe, told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) after planting a symbolic tree at Potrikrom D/A Primary school to commence the exercise.
He said PDA aimed at working with communities, organisations and individuals to reflect, learn and to bring about a transformation in their present situation.
Mr. Agbe said PDA over the years worked with government, non-government and private organisations, and multilateral and bilateral organisations in areas such as decentralisation, policy analysis and advocacy.
Other areas were poverty and social assessment, reproductive health, including; HIV/AIDS, gender and development, child protection, issues of governance in education, health, agriculture and forestry, organisation development with NGOs and other civil society organisations, as well as monitoring and evaluation.
As part of the 20th anniversary celebration, he said, a workshop for knowledge sharing on child protection would be held in Accra, on November 25, this year.
Again, it will share knowledge of 20 years of community engagement and research work, and organize PDA Appreciation Day as part of the celebrations.
The Managing Director, acknowledged the contribution of its partners such as the Overseas Development Institute, Beyond Beans, Solidaridard, UNICEF, EdTech Hub, Root Capital, Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition, Sustainable Trade Initiative, and Bath Social Development Research.
As part of the launch, PDA also donated some books and stationery to Kunsu, Potrikrom and Asuadee D/A Primary and Junior High Schools (JHS) to help improve teaching and learning.
Mr Alfred Kwadwo Boateng, the Director of Ghana Education Service (GES) at Ahafo Ano South West District, who received the items, commended PDA for supporting them.
He said the items would help improve teaching and learning in the schools, and pledged that his outfit would do everything possible to support them.
GNA