Laois GAA stars help to plant a million trees in Africa

Two of Laois’s best known GAA players have recently returned from a historic trip to Africa, where they kickstarted a bid to plant more than a million trees to combat climate change.

Laois players Kieran Lillis and Colm Begley joined 50 leading GAA stars to compete in the first ever  ‘Plant the Planet Games’ in Nairobi, Kenya, on a visit that also saw them plant the first thousand trees in a GPA-backed tree planting effort to tackle climate change in Africa.

Kieran Lillis said being part of the climate action project brought him happiness.

“I'm so happy to have been part of a wonderful group of 50 Gaelic players and Warriors for Humanity who took action to help raise over €500k and plant a million trees to help the most vulnerable and to combat the effects of climate change that are evident all over the country”. 

Below: Kieran planting trees.

Each of the participating players, who included inter-county hurlers, footballers and camogie players from 23 different counties, were tasked with raising €10,000 in sponsorship to support the effort.  The group’s collective total has already topped half a million euro, with funds still coming in.

The initiative was organised by Galway dual player Alan Kerins Warriors for Humanity in conjunction with development charity Self Help Africa, and is also being supported by Kenyan Olympic medalist and world record holding runner, David Rudisha.

Business Development Director at Self Help Africa is Martha Hourican said that the trip had exceeded all expectations.

Colm Begley below.

"The support provided by the Gaelic players will have a transformational effect for communities in Kenya hard hit by the effects of climate change. Regions of Kenya have endured four successive years of drought, upwards of two million livestock have been lost this year alone, and crops have failed.

“This trip responds to that crisis in a practical way, while also highlighting for people back home here in Ireland very real effects of climate change being felt by poor and vulnerable communities in Africa,” she said.

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Amongst the participants in the inaugural ‘Plant the Planet Games’ were Limerick Hurler Sean Finn, Wexford’s Matthew O’Hanlon, Kerry’s Stefan Okunbor, Clare’s Podge Collins, Kilkenny’s Grace Walsh, and Niamh O’Sullivan from Meath.  

Below: Colm Begley with other players.

The players took to the field for a series of exhibition games at Nairobi Rugby Club, before visiting projects being implemented by Self Help Africa in Kenya, and planting trees at Baringo in the country’s drought affected Rift Valley.

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To find out more about Self Help Africa’s efforts to plant millions of trees in Africa visit: www.selfhelpafrica.org