The land was lush. The air was cooler. There was water in the well. Now these are wishes.

Up a hill, a small wooded area stands out like an island in a sea of wheat fields. The signs of an impending drought are ominous in the parched land. 

This is the last patch of natural vegetation near Pinky’s home. It’s where her mother gathers firewood for the family. At thirteen, Pinky may not fully understand the broader issues of climate change, but she has seen the forest shrink and the farmlands expand. 

“My grandmother told me that our house used to be surrounded by dense forest. Now the trees have been cut down and the land turned into farms. I remember when I was younger, we would play outdoors but nowadays the sun is just too hot and keeps us inside,” said Pinky, sitting under the shade at the village tube well. 

She had come to fetch water with her elder sister Shivani, 15, and their friend Kanshilya, 14. Pinky’s village in Lalitpur, part of the Bundelkhand region, has a long history of drought. The struggle for clean water has always been part of her life and now the climate is growing noticeably hotter too. 

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Pinky’s village of around 100 households depends entirely on three groundwater sources. In her case, access to water also depends on the availability of electricity to power the pumps. She has often missed school, standing in queues to fill a single bucket. 

Deforestation and drought go hand in hand in Pinky’s village, and she has felt the impact of both. The villagers rely on firewood for cooking, which leads inevitably to the falling of trees. At the same time, the groundwater levels have dropped, and the air has become hotter — a consequence of deforestation, climate change, and other human-made factors. 

Amit, 14, dreams of a utopia - a world where the land is green and birds sing from the trees. At his family’s plot of land just behind their house, he sees the perfect canvas to make this dream a reality. 

If we cut down one tree, we need to plant two trees,” Amit said. His enthusiasm for tree-planting wasn’t always there; it grew from attending environmental classes at his children’s club, which meets once a week.  

Why Are Trees Called Our Friends? is the theme of an activity book developed by World Vision India for children. The book contains eight modules on the environment, designed to be completed over a three-month period through practical, hands-on learning. 

Through this book, children learn the names of various plants and trees. They are encouraged to explore the outdoors, discover unfamiliar flora, and seek help from elders to identify them. They collect leaves or fruits from native plants and trees and note their economic and medicinal value. This interactive learning process fosters community involvement, enabling parents and elders to pass on traditional knowledge about local vegetation. 

As part of the environmental activity book initiative, 5,000 children received two saplings each from World Vision India, planting the seeds of 10,000 potential trees into the dry, exhausted land. 

World Vision India has worked with 1,000 children in Lalitpur district alone to raise environmental awareness and inspire action. Here, children are empowered to dream. 

“I dream of a world where clear streams run through the land, where the forest becomes greener, and where animals and birds can find a home again,” said Pinky, her gaze fixed beyond the barren horizon. 

While Pinky may not fully grasp the far-reaching consequences of deforestation, the small but impactful efforts of her children’s club are not only encouraging reforestation, they are also helping to regenerate groundwater, combat drought, purify the air, and cool the local climate. 

This World Environment Day calls us to take action against air pollution and its causes. Through its work with children and communities, World Vision India is nurturing a new generation committed to fighting climate change and building a better, greener future. 

Labels: #worldenvironmentday #trees #greenery #climatechange #worldvision #india #uttarpradesh #lalitpur #development #water #village #UP #rural