A Love for Date Trees
Winter journeys from Dhaka to ancestral village Mohishkhola inspired a young student’s interest in date palm trees and the traditional practice of collecting date syrup.
From Date Syrup to Tree Planting
In 2022, the student worked with local NGO Toru Pallab to plant 1,000 date trees along public roadsides in Mohishkhola. The initiative aimed to revive the traditional importance of date trees and promote a greener community.
When Trees Had No Caretakers
The first project soon faced a major problem. Many of the trees died because they were planted in public spaces where no individual felt responsible for caring for them.
The experience led to an important realization: planting trees is not enough. Every tree needs a keeper.
Turning the Failure Into a New Plan
Instead of abandoning the project, the student redesigned it around community participation. Discussions were held with village elders, teachers and students to develop a more sustainable approach.
The new plan was to plant medicinal and fruit trees inside individual households, giving each family direct responsibility for caring for the trees.
30 Students Become Tree Volunteers
Thirty local high school girls joined the initiative as volunteers. They regularly visited households, monitored the trees and helped ensure that families were properly maintaining them.
2,144 Trees Planted Across 405 Households
Following a successful pilot project involving 12 households, 2,144 trees of eight varieties were planted across 405 households in Mohishkhola during the summer of 2025.
The varieties included neem, arjun, amloki, date, guava, lemon, horitoki and mahogany.
The Biggest Lesson: Every Tree Needs a Keeper
The project showed that community ownership is essential for successful grassroots development. When people feel personally responsible for something, they are more likely to protect and care for it.
The experience also gave the student volunteers a stronger sense of responsibility, confidence and connection with their community.
The central lesson from Mohishkhola is simple: planting a tree is only the beginning. To help a tree survive and grow, every tree needs someone who will take care of it.
