The beginnings of the project go back to the friendship between Dr. Richard Tarimo and DI Bernhard Wagenknecht. The two met in Vienna while Richard was studying. When he visited Vienna again after graduating, he and Bernhard together developed the Books for Trees project. The project was presented to Bernhard’s students at the HBLFA for Horticulture in 2010, who immediately took part in the project with enthusiasm.
The project was further developed in the project management class and money was collected. The first books (Growing Trees and Gardens for Life) for equipping the partner schools were organized.
Since then, thanks to the commitment of the students as well as the extensive financial and mental support, the project has grown enormously and was able to achieve a lot.
2001 Richard Tarimo and Bernhard Wagenknecht get to know each other and develop a first reforestation project together.
2010 Richard Tarimo presents his work and his reforestation project at HBLFA Schönbrunn. The students are enthusiastic and begin to participate in the project.
2010 The first book delivery arrives in Ololkirikirai. The first partner school, Olorupa Primary School, starts with the young trees from Milicent Atieno Bungu with a tree-planting campaign and establishes a tree nursery.
2011 The project “Books for Trees” is founded officially.
2017 Establishment of the partnership with Badilisha Permaculture Center by financing a solar-powered water pump with drinking water treatment.
2019 Financing and support of three master’s studies at the University of Nairobi to collect basic data for the sustainable restoration of Rusinga Island. Establishment of the partnership with Gone West by financing a fruit tree planting action.
2020 Establishment of the association Boresha Organic Kiranda to establish an organic demonstration farm for permaculture techniques in Sori, Migori.
