It’s been 12 years since Godfrey Zilimala, a biology teacher at Groupe Scolaire Buhabwa, started an initiative to plant 8,000 fruit trees at the school—a project that has survived many environmental conditions in Murundi, Kayonza District.

The father of three does his voluntary work every day; he uses at least two hours before teaching his class, and one and a half hours after work, plus the weekend and holidays. He grows mangoes, oranges, guavas, and jackfruit, among other fruits in the garden.

"We went to Kabarondo for a biology seminar, then they told us to start teaching students using learning aid objects. I said, we should have a school garden, a mother garden, then I started bringing in these seeds,” he says.

Zilimala, 41, says planting the trees took him five years, mostly using his own money to establish the nursery, to care for seedlings, planting, weeding, fertilising and spraying pesticides in the trees.

"They used to tell me that these fruit trees would not do well here, but I made a proposal that if I planned at least five years and I failed, I would leave it, but based on what I have now, it is a success,” he says.

As a science teacher, he believes in what he is doing, as ‘soil is not made from rocks’, it is people who can change the soil to be productive, he points out.

"It was hard because it was a dry area, if it is a dry season you have to water, you have a lot of pests here like termites, caterpillars, you have to buy insecticides, the school also sometimes facilitates me because it is a project of the school,” he notes.

Students have started enjoying the results, as they eat fruits from time to time, when the fruits are in season, students take free fruits, and residents neighbouring the school also get to eat. It is not permitted to take the fruits from the garden and sell them elsewhere.

It used to be scorching hot and students would not get enough shade, they would run away from school because of the heat, but now, Zilimala says, the environment is very conducive for them as there is enough shade.

Zilimala mostly uses his salary to maintain the place, and where he cannot manage, he says the school provides. He says that pesticide goes for almost Rwf50, 000, and he has to spray after three to four months. Weeding requires about Rwf30, 000 for workers in a season.

The garden has become a learning site; some neighbouring schools visit it and talk about doing the same at their respective schools.

"I started a project of three trees per child; they have started planting them at home. I make the nursery beds, and then during the rainy season they take them home after having taught them how to plant them, how to manage them and how to care for them,” he explains.

The teacher says other educators should borrow a leaf, saying that it attracts children to school, as there are those who feel motivated to go because they know the environment is good and they get to eat the fruits.

"If I want flowers, do I have to go to Kayonza where they plant flowers? I have them at hand,” he says.

The executive secretary of Murundi Sector, Jackline Mutesi, says the school covers about 25 hectares and has 1,240 students; the fruits are planted on eight hectares, adding that this land used to have a declining number of natural trees, and it is good to have them replaced by fruits.

"He is a teacher but has a passion for work, the school is large but he has used its land to grow fruits. During the peak season, students alone cannot eat all the fruits, so parents enjoy too,” she says.

"He really did remarkable work because this is a contribution to food security in general,” she says, adding that it has inspired many more nursery beds in the sector.

Zilimala describes the project as successful; as a result, he has received recognition from the government and believes that it is a mark everyone should leave. "It is satisfying,” he says.

The awards, which he received on World Teacher’s Day on October 5, include two computers from Rwanda Education Board (REB) in 2017 and 2019. He also says that his school has given him at least Rwf50,000 every Teacher’s Day since 2010.