Life Tree Campaign

The Tree – A Symbol of Life

Trees are symbols of hope. What would our life be without hope? Our will to go into the future with confidence is only based on hope. Trees reach into the future from the past. They are much older than humans. They extend their branches from our grandparent's times to our grandchildren's lives. Their roots come up from the depths of the earth and their crowns rise up to the sky. Trees provide us with shadow and protection from sun and rain. Their fruit feeds us and we build houses from their wood.

Shanti Sewa Griha (Peace Service Station) is the organization in Nepal which, with the assistance of Shanti Leprahilfe Dortmund e.V., helps people in need – especially those suffering from leprosy. The Dortmund society has founded Aktion Lebensbaum (Tree of Life Campaign), so that funds can be provided in a meaningful manner , so as to provide the poorest of the poor with health, security and an active life through professional training. The sick who are being cared for here, have been ostracised by their families due to their illness. Leprosy is looked upon as being a punishment of the Gods. They live a life as a beggar on the banks of the holy Bagmati river und temple roofs and in the niches of houses. They hunger and freeze in the cold night, Shanti Sewa Griha takes them on, provides them with medical care and loos after their ill-treated bodies and inflicted souls. They are provided with a warming closeness, gentle care and real security.

The "Tree of Life" is in many respects more than a tree which spends life. It helps people in need and is also beneficial to the environment.

By making a donation of more than EUR 15.00, the donator not only knows that he is planting a fruit tree in remote Nepal, but that he is also supporting the leprosy station and workshops for the physically impaired in Kathmandu.

Locally, the fruit trees serve a double purpose: on the one hand, they serve the reforesting, which us urgently necessary after so many trees have been felled and on the other, they provide additional fruit. This enables the native inhabitants to not only fulfil the vitamin requirements for them and their children, they can also sell fruit in the future. As a beneficial side-effect, the trees also provide a cooling shadow.

The tree which helps the people could be your present for a person close to you: on the occasion of his birthday, anniversary, on a wedding anniversary, for a passed examination, etc. However, the tree can also grow as a reminder of a dear person who has passed away.

You will be issued with a certificate (A4) in which you can enter the name of the person receiving the gift or the person who you wish to remain in your thoughts. This will be sent to you within a short period of time, after 10 days at the latest. A river pebble on which the name of the person receiving the gift is to be engaged, should be set in locally.

You can order the "Tree of Life" symbol as a sterling symbol pendant – either to wear yourself or as a gift for a person close to you.

Plant a tree in Nepal and give a hope for life!

I would like to plant a tree in Nepal. (Please contact us)