Schoolchildren gathered around a newly planted seedling at Medina Kanuma Lower Basic School

Community-led conservation · The Gambia

Small hands, big difference.

We reforest school grounds, restore native ecosystems and raise a generation of Little Earth Guardians — one tree, one classroom, one community at a time.

Join the movement Explore our work
01Pilot schoolMedina Kanuma
05Native speciesBaobab to guava
03LanguagesEnglish · French · Dutch
250+Trees per patronGreen Patron tier

Who we are

Rooted in The Gambia. Growing a cooler future.

TREE Foundation Gambia is a community-led environmental conservation organisation based in Kololi, Kanifing. We were established to raise awareness, promote responsible environmental practices, and support initiatives that protect our natural resources.

We work where climate action meets everyday life: in schoolyards, village meetings and classrooms. By pairing native tree planting with climate education and practical community support, we help green spaces — and the people who care for them — thrive.

“A present crisis, not a future threat.”From our field notes
More about the foundation
Pupils and teachers of Medina Kanuma Lower Basic School gathered for a tree planting day
Kololi · Kanifing The Gambia, West Africa

What we do

Four ways we grow.

Our programmes connect environmental action with the daily needs of schools and communities — so that planting a tree is never just a photo opportunity.

Children planting a seedling in the schoolyard at Medina Kanuma Flagship programme

Little Earth Guardians

Our flagship school programme. Pupils plant native seedlings, learn to care for them, and become the next generation of climate leaders.

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TREE Foundation Gambia team presenting learning materials and certificates to pupils Education

Climate-smart classrooms

Climate education that speaks to local realities — from floods and heatwaves to food and water — with messages that resonate and inspire action.

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A TREE Foundation volunteer and pupils potting seedlings at school Nursery

Native tree nurseries

We raise and plant baobab, mango, cashew, moringa and guava, chosen with communities for shade, nutrition and resilience.

See our native trees
Children sharing a meal together at school Wellbeing

Community care

School meals, learning materials and village partnerships. Because a child who is fed and equipped can grow a greener future.

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Field notes · 15 October 2026

One school. A village behind them.

At Medina Kanuma Lower Basic School in Lower Niumi, pupils from the lower basic and nursery schools planted seedlings alongside teachers, the Alkaloo and Village Development Committees.

Pupils and teachers forming a circle around a newly planted tree Day one
TREE Foundation Gambia team presenting learning materials and certificates to pupils For the classroom
A TREE Foundation team member handing learning materials to a school leader Together

The day was more than a planting exercise. It was a shared lesson in what climate action looks like when a whole community owns it: children with their hands in the soil, teachers linking trees to the curriculum, village leaders standing with the school, and parents watching a different future take root.

We are grateful to every local and international supporter who made it possible — and to the school management, staff and pupils who showed up with such energy.

“There is no one size fits all solution when it comes to climate change. Schools can effectively communicate climate change messages by integrating climate education.” TREE Foundation Gambia · field notes
Read our story

Native by nature

Trees that feed, shade and protect.

We choose species with the community — for nutrition, shade, soil health and a fighting chance in a changing climate.

01

Baobab

Adansonia digitata

The Tree of Life. Stores water, feeds families and shelters life through the dry season.

02

Mango

Mangifera indica

Deep shade and sweet fruit. A long-lived canopy tree that can stand for generations.

03

Cashew

Anacardium occidentale

A coastal livelihood tree — good for soil, good for farmers, good for the local economy.

04

Moringa

Moringa oleifera

The Miracle Tree. Drought-tolerant, fast-growing and exceptionally nutritious.

05

Guava

Psidium guajava

A small tropical tree with vitamin-rich fruit and a natural place in every school garden.

Species notes drawn from TREE Foundation Gambia's field journal.

Get involved

There is a place for you in this work.

You do not have to live in The Gambia to help a school grow greener. Start where you are.

01

Sponsor a school

Fund a planting day, a nursery, or the follow-up care that keeps young trees alive.

See sponsorship tiers
02

Volunteer your skills

Teachers, ecologists, storytellers, translators, designers and organisers are all welcome.

Offer your time
03

Partner with us

Businesses, NGOs and schools can co-create greener, healthier learning environments.

Start a conversation

Let's grow something that lasts.

Whether you have five trees or five hundred, you can help a Gambian school grow cooler, greener and more hopeful.

Talk to our team Sponsor trees