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‘Optimistic, educational and community-driven’ best describes #TreesAreTheKey, the incredible eco-film created by Word Forest back in 2019. Filmed by Tim Short and narrated by Kate Winslet, it was released in October of that year by Tracey and Simon West, founders of Word Forest, and brings to our screens the community of tree planters near Garashi in Kenya with whom Word Forest works. This collaboration has paved the way for a brighter future for us all.
It’s a film that everyone could benefit from watching and being inspired by and, with your help, this could become a reality! During this Trees Are The Key Awareness week, we are focusing on ideas for raising both funds and awareness, so grab a cup of tea and maybe a cheeky biscuit or two and let’s see if we can inspire you to put on a screening of the film for your friends or local community. If it sounds a bit tricky, don’t worry, we can help!
#TreesAreTheKey is an impactful piece of media that shines a light on what it’s like to live on the frontline of climate change and lays out a simple blueprint for mitigating our climate emergency by planting trees in the tropics. The film also highlights how common it is in areas of rural Kenya to have limited access to education, and opportunities and ideas for ways to generate stable sources of income.
Word Forest has been tackling these issues head on since its inception in 2017 and, during the film, it is truly uplifting to see the added good that comes when women’s empowerment is woven into the mix. It quite literally opens up countless opportunities for the wider community which have the power to benefit the entire world.
In the film, we see the joy on women’s faces as they have their first maths classes, the group spirit of excitement when a new classroom was opened and the sheer volume of trees planted by a growing community.
We know from our viewing of this film that it carries a real sense of hope and inspiration, and we felt the need to share that inspiration with those we know. It was easy to share; here’s the link for you! Enjoy!
Putting on a screening may seem like a daunting task; after all, when it comes to something as important as the environment, we want to make sure that an event has biggest impact possible. Please trust us when we say, the sharing of this film can be an easy and enjoyable experience.
Firstly, a viewing doesn’t have to be a big event, the ‘talk of the town’, to have an impact. Sometimes a cosy catchup with friends at home with the film can start a crucial dialogue that will then spread. If it makes us feel joyful and inspired, we know that it can do the same for other people.
Secondly, if you would like to run a larger event, this can be made relatively easy as well. By simply booking a village hall or perhaps going to your council offices, there will be space for people to come and talk about the environmental issues plaguing us today. If we have learned something over the last 20 years, it’s that our environment is in dire need of help, so getting people involved in dialogue can reignite the urgency that we require to save our planet. Additionally, the feeling of being in a room with like-minded people who care, can be really empowering to those who are there. It creates a sense of not being alone in the fight for sustainability and against climate change, adding to the optimism that the film brings.
For example, just last month, Word Forest held a vegan bring-and-share lunch in their community hall, which was a huge success and brought together a great variety of passionate people.
Showing this eco-film is a sure-fire way to spread the word about ecological issues, and the ways in which Kenyan communities can benefit from innovative solutions. Unfortunately, the work that Word Forest does can’t be done for free, so why not pop a donation pot in your hall to help out those living at the sharp end of social and environmental problems? With a little community spirit, maybe we can make a big difference to less fortunate communities. Even if that’s not possible, just talking about #TreesAreTheKey can make a big difference in how we see the future – a view of positive possibilities and ground-breaking ideas.
So what do you reckon – is it going to be a little home viewing or a community gathering? Whichever one you opt for, you can be safe in the knowledge that what you’re doing is making an impact. By talking about environmental problems, we have a better chance of understanding the urgency of them and making a difference in our lives to change them. As Simon West states, we are simply “trying to fill gaps left by governments and undo the damage done by big corporations”. This sounds like a pretty good opportunity to us!
Leigh Balment, Kiran Bahra and The Team
