Yesterday I came across young children playing and arguing, a little girl in tears because her brother would not let her climb the trunk of a tree.
In Uganda, wood from trees is commonly used to make school furniture such as desks, chairs, tables, shelves, and cupboards. Common trees used for timber in Uganda include pine, eucalyptus, musizi, and mahogany.
When the trees are mature, they are cut down carefully to provide wood for construction and furniture making.
Many schools in Uganda depend on local carpenters and small workshops to produce furniture, which also helps create jobs in communities.
But although many trees are replanted, unsustainable cutting still happens in some areas, which is the case in this school in Bulenga where they have been cutting their compound trees not only to make their school furniture, but also to feed their stoves for cooking the children’s food.
