All Hands Update June 21, 2012 #1

SERVICE MEMBERS OF THE U-S NAVY MARITIME CIVIL AFFAIRS TEAM 112 ASSIGNED TO COMBINED JOINT TASK FORCE - HORN OF AFRICA CELEBRATED WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY ALONGSIDE THEIR EAST AFRICAN PARTNERS IN KENYA. MCAT 112, AND OTHER U-S AND AFRICAN ORGANIZATIONS HELPED PLANT NEARLY 600 CASURAINA TREE SEEDLINGS AT A LOCAL PRIMARY SCHOOL AS PART OF THE CELEBRATION. "WHAT WE DID WAS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT ORGANIZATIONS IN THE AREA, WE CAME TO THIS SCHOOL, WE WORKED WITH THE CHILDREN, WE WORKED WITH THE FACULTY OF THE SCHOOL, AND WE PLANTED CASURAINA TREE SEEDLINGS." IRENE MLANGA, A DIGITAL OPPORTUNITY TRUST PROGRAM ASSISTANT EXPLAINS WHY THEY PARTICIPATED IN THE TREE PLANTING CEREMONY. TODAY WE WERE PLANTING TREES AT THIS SCHOOL TO MARK THE WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY. BASICALLY TO EDUCATE THE STUDENTS AND THE TEACHERS ON THE IMPORTANCE OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND HOW IT CAN ACTUALLY BE HARNESSED TO A GREEN ECONOMY IN THE FUTURE." FOLLOWING THE CEREMONY, THE CHILDREN PERFORMED SKITS AND TRADITIONAL DANCES FOR THEIR GUESTS. "IT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR US TO BE PART OF THIS INITIATIVE SO THAT WE CAN ALSO SEE WAY ON HOW WE CAN EMBRACE CONSERVING THE ENVIRONMENT." THE CASURAINA TREES GROW STRAIGHT, TALL AND SLENDER, AND ARE ABLE TO BE USED IN THATCH WORK AND CONSTRUCTION. THEY CAN ALSO SERVE AS A RENEWABLE FORM OF REVENUE FOR THE SCHOOL. "IT'S HUMBLING. IT'S EXCITING AT THE SAME TIME, BECAUSE YOU KNOW AND THEY KNOW THAT YOU'RE DOING SOMETHING THAT'S GONNA HAVE POTENTIAL FUTURE POSITIVE IMPACTS ON THEM PARTICULARLY AND ON THE SCHOOL AND ON THE COMMUNITY." REPORTING FOR COMBINED JOINT TASK FORCE - HORN OF AFRICA, I'M PETTY OFFICER JEREMY BRANDT.