Plant trees, grow futures this Christmas
Double your impact for people and the planet this Christmas
For one week only, your gift will be doubled thanks to the Big Give! That’s twice the trees and twice the impact for our planet and the communities we work with.
Simply donate on our campaign page between 2-9th December 2025.
The loss of trees globally is having devastating effects. But for communities in the remote mountains of East Africa, the consequences go far beyond what we can imagine here in the UK.
This Christmas you can help plant trees and grow futures.
Across Uganda’s degraded hillsides, the land is barren and broken. Strong winds tear down homes. Landslides claim lives. Rivers burst their banks, destroying everything in their path.
“The hills are too fragile and the land is too bare, it is prone to landslides and soil erosion.” says Elda Masika, a tree planter. “We depend on agriculture as a living. It is leading to hunger and low standards of living.”
But there is hope and it grows from the ground up.
Alpha Women Empowerment Initiative (AWEI) is one of ITF’s longest standing partners; we’ve been planting trees with them since 2015. Based in Kasese, Western Uganda the women of AWEI are restoring their land and and rebuilding their futures.
“People did not know the advantages of trees and the disadvantages of cutting down trees. So, Alpha came in to preach the gospel,” says Margret Masika, AWEI’s chair.
Together, we’re planting trees in forests, farms, schools and homes — and bamboo along the River Nyamwamba to stop it bursting its banks. “The bamboo has started growing and binding the soil,” says Annet Kamalha. “In the future, flooding will becontrolled.”
Beyond improving their landscape, the women of AWEI are helping to uplift other local women. “Women here were so poor, without a way to earn a living,” Margret explains. “Now, we are training them in vocational skills so they can support their families.”
Already, AWEI’s work has transformed lives — but there are still so many families “knocking on our office door looking for support,” Margret tells us.
Your gift of £40 could help Margret and the women of AWEI grow and plant 20 trees, restoring nature and giving women a way to earn a living.
You can double your donation and have twice the impact for people and planet if you donate on our campaign page before the 9th of December.
Beyond planting
Our partner AWEI are nurturing both people and the planet — improving lives while restoring the land.
Growing fruit
Jetrida from Nyakazinga village received pawpaw trees thanks to AWEI and has been selling the fruit.
Recently she earned over 600,000 Uganda shillings. The money has helped her to buy iron sheets, which she’s going to use for roofing her house.
£26 could provide 14 quality grafted fruit seedlings
Tree nurseries
AWEI are establishing women-led tree nurseries which supply healthy local seedlings to the planting sites. “Women have been able to learn tree nursery management, which helps them to earn a living.” says Elda.
“We also trained them to graft mangoes and now people are coming to them to be trained too,” added Margret. “Which also helps them to earn a living.”
£115 could provide seeds & tools to a tree nursery
Kitchen gardens
“Children used to suffer from several diseases because of lack of nutrition,” says Margret. “But now it’s no longer a big problem. Though we still need more support to establish more kitchen gardens in the community because not everyone was able to get them.”
In Kasika village, Eunice put her training into action and started growing aubergines, onions, tomatoes and cabbages. “She was able to harvest vegetables and sold them in the market, earning 150,000 shillings,” says Annet. “This income helped her to pay fees for her children. And also buy other seeds.”
£11 could set up one nutritious kitchen garden
You can double your donation and have twice the impact for people and planet if you donate on our campaign page before the 9th of December.
Hope grows from the ground up
When trees are recklessly cut down, ecosystems are destroyed and crisis takes over. In East Africa, rising temperatures, shrinking fertile land and worsening climate disasters are putting remote, tree-dependent communities at risk. Food, income and lives hang in the balance. But it’s not too late. Planting trees now can reverse the damage, restore balance and protect the future for people and planet.
Trees heal landscapes. They cool our planet, restore ecosystems and stop natural disasters like floods and landslides. They grow food, increase harvests and create incomes. We’re working with community groups in remote mountainous areas, equipping them to plant trees that make a fast and lasting impact. Together we can restore ecosystems and prevent future catastrophes while growing food, improving harvests and creating sustainable income for vital things like healthcare and education.
Just £2 can plant a tree and ensure that it thrives for generations.
Please donate £20 today and plant 10 life changing and ecosystem restoring trees.
“To the people in the UK, we appreciate you for the support you’re giving to us. But there is still need to extend our services to other areas because people and the leaders are asking for help!”
Elda
Your generous gift this Christmas will help to:
Establish women-led tree nurseries to grow native and threatened trees
Plant trees to restore degraded mountainous landscapes in East Africa
Create a resilient source of income through sustainable initiatives
Plant trees that increase access to vital natural resources like food, water and medicine
Ensure the trees thrive
