In partnership with UNIDOR, the Leer County Education Department, and the local community, the project plants over 100 fruit trees, fostering peace, environmental restoration, and food security amidst conflict.
Leer County, South Sudan — [Monday, April 21, 2025] — Alabaster International, in partnership with UNIDOR, the Leer County Education Department, and local schools and families, has officially launched the Youth for Trees Initiative—the first youth-led tree planting campaign in Leer County. The initiative saw over 100 fruit trees, including mango, avocado, and jackfruit, planted by students from Leer Primary and Naak Primary Schools.
In a region long affected by conflict and displacement, Youth for Trees represents a bold step toward peacebuilding, environmental recovery, and youth empowerment. With food insecurity and deforestation posing critical challenges across South Sudan, this initiative offers a hopeful and practical solution: engaging the next generation in planting life-giving trees that nourish both land and community.
“We believe peace begins with hope, and hope can be planted—literally,” said Shannon Fernando, Founder and CEO of Alabaster International. “In partnership with courageous local leaders, this project is a symbol of what is possible when young people are empowered to care for the land and their future.”
Focused on empowering female youth, each student involved in the project has committed to nurturing the trees through daily watering and weekly monitoring for pests and pruning. The trees will not only serve as a sustainable food source for the schools and surrounding communities but also as a living testament to the power of community-driven healing.
Alabaster International remains committed to grassroots, community-led development that centers dignity, sustainability, and peace. As conflict escalates in other parts of the country, Youth for Trees stands as a beautiful example of South Sudan’s resilience and the power of partnership.