In Ethiopia's drought-prone Oromia region, Halima Kedir's decision to plant trees was initially met with laughter from her neighbors. Undeterred, she walked an hour each way to collect water for her seedlings, nurturing them with the same care her Oromo tradition reserves for adopted children. "I see them like my own children," she told DailyGood.
Kedir's quiet determination has since transformed local skepticism into active participation. Her efforts are part of a broader shift in Ethiopia's relationship with its land—a move away from destruction and toward restoration. Over the past decade, the country's deforestation rate has fallen by nearly two-thirds.
At the heart of this national transformation is the Green Legacy Initiative, an ambitious program that seeks to plant 50 billion trees by 2030. While the initiative is often described through impressive statistics, its true roots lie in individuals like Kedir, who took action without waiting for permission or recognition.
One neighbor, who once doubted Kedir's efforts, now describes her as "a role model and someone willing to find local solutions to our issues," speaking to DailyGood. Kedir's story illustrates how environmental and social change often begins with a single person choosing a less-traveled path—one that aligns with broader possibilities for the greater good.