I have been thinking a lot about my time in Zambia this week because of the Elon student-alumni group on the ground. They are wrapping up their work in Kawama this week, and I am so excited to learn about the new lives changed and hear about Lontia’s and Rosemary’s houses. As their time in Kawama comes to an end, I want to reflect on a piece of my time in Zambia that took place toward the end of my stay in Kawama.
 |
| Trees at the orchard |
During our build, we noticed how green the village was and how perfect the climate was for growing fruit-bearing trees. Tom had asked one of our homeowners what kind of fruit tree she might like for her new home, so that she could nourish her family and perhaps start an orchard. She requested an orange tree. Three members of Team Eagle (Laura, Tom, and I) plus Habitat Volunteer Coordinator Voster went into nearby Ndola. Our first mission was to meet with the mayor, but shortly thereafter we visited a government-owned orchard to get the orange trees. We purchased two trees for each new homeowner. At the closing ceremony, which included the presenting of the homeowners’ keys, the Periclean Scholars presented the homeowners with two orange trees each.
 |
| The four orange trees in the back of our truck |
The tradition of ceremoniously presenting trees is not a new one to Elon University. Elon, meaning “oak” in Hebrew, has tied its namesake tree to all of its students and alumni. When new students come to Elon for freshman convocation, they are each given an acorn. Upon graduation, Elon alumni receive a young oak tree and plant the young sapling wherever they go after graduation. Each acorn represents the start of the journey and that all Elon students have within them the power to grow strong. Each sapling represents growth over the students’ time at Elon, while the youth of the trees symbolizes the growth still to come. Elon oaks are scattered across the nation, as alumni have found careers and homes to plant their roots. The oak trees serve as reminders that they are forever connected to their alma mater.
Each new orange tree presented to Lontia and Rosemary symbolized planting those roots. They finally had homes, yards, space, stable roofing, and all of the other essentials that we so often take for granted. They finally had the ability to plant those trees and tend to them as their own. They will forever be connected to the Elon tradition of presenting trees for momentous achievements.
 |
| New homeowner Rosemary receives her saplings from Tom |
Would Lontia and Rosemary have planted orange trees had it not been for Periclean Scholars? Perhaps, but it would have come with time and the investment of their own money. By infusing Elon tradition into their groundwork, the Periclean Scholars enabled the women to receive the trees ceremoniously from the moment they received their keys. They began to tend to their new trees as soon as possible so that they could see the fruits of their labor as soon as possible.
Some alumni may consider the Elon tradition “sappy”, but its manifestation for our Periclean partners is particularly meaningful. Thanks to coordination with our partner at Habitat for Humanity Zambia, this Elon touch to the closing ceremony gave a great source of sustenance to women who likely have never had trees of their own before.
This is reason #4 to support Periclean Scholars: infusing Elon tradition into global partners.
No comments:
Post a Comment