06/06/2025
“Three years ago, one trip to the forest was enough to meet my family’s daily needs,” says Annette. “Now, I go at least twice a day, each time walking further and deeper into the forest. Before then, my tailoring business used to sustain us, but when people are struggling to put food on the table, buying new clothes is not a priority. Farming has become unreliable, the rains no longer come when they should, and the cost of fertiliser and seeds keeps going up.
“We make do with what we can afford, but sometimes, like in 2023, that means using poor-quality inputs or not having enough at all. The forest is the only thing left within reach, so like many other women, I have turned to it. While it is not easy, we find a way to make it work.”
The cruel irony is that the more she takes from the forest, the less it gives in return. The trees that once called down the rains are vanishing, and with them, the water that feeds the crops. The cycle tightens, forcing more hands into the forest, accelerating the very destruction that makes survival harder still.
Read full story on our website: https://minorityafrica.org/the-forest-of-my-childhood-is-dying-i-finally-understand-why/
