We recently received a new picture of two Persimmon hibakujumoku in Rwanda, seen here on each side of our partner, Ms. Marie Louise Kambenga Ntwali.

Upon a visit to Rwanda in early September, GLH focal point Ms. Kambenga Marie Louise Ntwali photographed two persimmon trees at Umuco Mwiza School in Kigali. These two seedlings were brought to Kigali in 2016 and 2017 and initially had challenges adapting to the climate; the new photographs show the saplings growing healthier and the partnership in Rwanda bearing fruit. Furthermore, saplings were sent to be grown by the NGO Think About Education in the Miyove region of northern Rwanda and to the Musanze region in the northwestern.

In early autumn, just as persimmon fruits start to mature in Japan, ANT-Hiroshima, the NGO Think About Education in Rwanda, and GLH organized an online session with the Umuco Mwiza School in Rwanda. Ms. Watanabe, Executive Director of ANT-Hiroshima and the GLH co-founder, told the story of the Hibaku-jumoku. GLH co-founder Dr. Azimi and Ms. Baba of GLH secretariat showed the video that focused on the persimmon tree, the mother tree of the sapling in Umuco Mwiza school. Then, Marie-Louise san made the presentation about the conditions of Rwanda’s persimmon sapling.

Through the video, students learned about the specificity of the persimmon tree, the relationship between the Japanese and persimmon, and how to treat the persimmon in Rwanda. We hope the students will gradually learn about the relationship between peace and nature through taking care of their saplings, while strengthening their research skills and botanical knowledge .

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HaQcAZlk9x0