Plant a Tree, Grow Hope

“Plant a tree, Grow hope”, a project financed by the European Commission thorugh Erasmus+ Programme, brought together 24 participants from Bulgaria, Romania, Greece and Spain in a very special place in the Northwest of Spain, called Galicia, near the Atlantic ocean. The Ecolectivo is a multidisciplinary project born with the aim of promoting and developing experiences in areas such as ecological, community, cultural and personal growth. With a transformative and experimental nature, they try to promote actions and life models that are more respectful with people and with nature in general.

The project took place between 19-27 of May and our organization sent 5 participants + 1 Group Leader.

For some of the participants, the adventure started already 1 day before the project. On 18th of May, the group leader and 2 other Romanian girls were in Santiago de Compostela and visited the city. On 19th of May, before going to Vigo, they decided also to have a small journey to A Coruna.

In the evening of 19th of May they finally reached Ecolectivo, the place that was their home during 7 nights of the project. They had the chance to know the other participants before the mobility (as they had a common Facebook group), so when they arrived it was more easier; they just needed to accommodate themselves at the tents that were in the camping and had the rest of the day off in order to explore the area.

They really appreciated the way in which were welcomed by the hosting organization (a very warm welcome!!). The accommodation, which was represented basically by tents, was very comfortable, had protection against mosquitos, a big mattress and many many brankets.

In the next day they started to discover each other better and got to know the surroundings more and more. Ecolectivo is an area that is using only recycled materials, has a looooot of trees and flowers and gave them the opportunity to exit their comfort zone and experience a new lifestyle.

In the first days of this youth exchange they got the chance to present one to each other the forests’ situation from their communities and countries, to speak about the sending NGOs and also to create different workshops.

There were workshops with different topics like : Seeds Bombs, Forest Food, Storytelling etc. and very interesting evening activities : documentary watching, improvisation shows, talent show, fire camping.

Starting to the 3rd day, the group already started to discover the forest, first by seeing it and then by cleaning out the area and by eliminating the species that were threatening the other plants/trees.  

On Friday, 24.05.2019, they participated in the “Fridays for Future “movement. Being supported by another organisation from Vigo, which was in charge for organising this activity, the participants cleaned a big part of the forest and the area that was next to the river. After that, they joined this organization to the city center of Vigo. The participants also had the chance to see the ocean and to have an amazing open air-show thanks to some participants.

In the  penultimate day before the end of the project, they had to plant each of them a tree. The coordinator thought what they should do in order to make sure that the tree is well planted and will survive.

In the last day , they shared their last words, their last emotions and they did a lot of promises to each other, including the fact they will continue to participate in movements such as “Fridays for Future” and that they will continue to plant and to take care of the nature.

Alexandru Ivanciu, the group leader, mentioned:

“For this project I want to say thanks first of all to our hosts and friends : Sol, Gus, Renato, Ivan and Oscar, the ones who ensured that we have there everything in order to make our activities. I want to say thanks to our kitchen amazing team : Afro, Anne, Nayra and Helene. And especially I want to say thanks to Marta and Nasko, the 2 amazing facilitators who managed to create a perfect atmosphere and made the activities happening. And of course I want to say thank you to Madalina Stratone, president of Wings for Youth Romania, who sent me there and gave me this opportunity.

I also want to share with you a song, that for me was the anthem of this project. It was our song, the song of the nature, the song of everything.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kSjXOebB7eI “

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