Greening Rural Hopes: Shushilan’s Fruit Tree Saplings Distribution Initiative in Bhola Sadar and Charfassion

Amid the climate-vulnerable southern coast of Bangladesh, Shushilan continues to sow seeds of hope through its commitment to eco-friendly development, nutrition, healthcare, child rights, and social protection. In a recent gesture of green promise, over 300 fruit tree saplings were distributed in Bhola Sadar and Charfassion Upazilas, an initiative led by Shushilan Bhola Team, courtesy of Shushilan’s Chief Executive, Upokulbondhu Mostafa Nuruzzaman. Each sapling carries the vision of a future rooted in resilience and care.

The tree distribution events took place on July 29, 2025, at the Holy Child School in Tulatoli Union, Bhola Sadar, and on August 7 at the Uttar Shiba Government Primary School premises in Abdullahpur Union, Charfassion. The events saw active participation from teachers, students, journalists, local representatives, Shushilan officials, and around 130 beneficiary families. During the program, a variety of fruit saplings, including mango, wood apple, coconut, guava, hog plum, sapodilla, rose apple, and olive, were distributed among community members.

The overall coordination of the initiative was led by Project Coordinator Rekha Yesmin, with on-ground support from the dedicated teams of Bhola Sadar and Charfassion.

Top leadership from Shushilan joined the programs virtually and expressed their aspirations for a greener and healthier future:

Sherina Akther, Deputy Director (Program) for Shushilan’s Barisal Region, shared in her welcome speech:

“Our aim goes beyond raising awareness; we are committed to practical application. A single fruit tree can ensure essential nutrition and health for a family. Heartfelt thanks to all colleagues involved in making this distribution a success.”

Upokulbondhu Mostafa Nuruzzaman, Chief Executive of Shushilan, gladly stated:

“Planting a tree is not only about protecting the environment; it is also about ensuring nutrition, shade, and economic well-being for a family. We envision every household planting at least one fruit tree, creating a greener and more sustainable world for the next generation. I am truly delighted to extend this humble contribution for the benefit of this community.”

Nasir Uddin Faruk, Deputy Chief Executive of Shushilan, added:

“This initiative is more than an eco-friendly activity; it’s a practical implementation of our project on ‘Social and Behavior Change for Promoting Maternal, Child, and Adolescent Wellbeing.’ Our goal is to empower families to meet their nutritional needs independently.”

Mr. Sheikh Amirul Islam, the honorable Advisor (OD) of Shushilan, also joined the events virtually from the Head Office and extended his best wishes to the teams and participants.

The beneficiary families expressed heartfelt appreciation for receiving the fruit tree saplings. They shared that the trees would help address nutritional gaps in their households and provide additional income through surplus fruit sales. They gratefully offered special thanks to Upokulbondhu Mostafa Nuruzzaman and expressed their eagerness to meet him in person at Bhola in the future.

In closing the event, Project Coordinator Ms. Rekha Yesmin passionately stated:

“In this festival of greenery, let us unite for a noble cause, guided by our beloved Upokulbondhu, Mostafa Nuruzzaman.”

Shushilan firmly believes that building resilience in climate-affected communities requires inclusive, sustainable, and nutrition-sensitive initiatives. This tree distribution campaign stands as a testament to that commitment. Plans are already underway to expand this initiative to other upazilas in Bhola shortly.