Here's Your Calculator and Measuring Tape (a GFRS blog)

The midnight oil burnt incessantly at camp Ogia last night, because Amele had given the sawmill training participants a little homework. With their newfound skills, many of the students were diligently keying numbers into their calculators - working out the volume of standing trees and logs, which had been cut exclusively for the mathematical training session.

It's all part of FPCD’s eco-forestry programme, where selected members of participating clans learn how to use a walkabout sawmill. On top of that, they are trained in calculating and estimating timber output volume from trees and, most importantly, how to appreciate and value their forest.

Tap tap tap… tap tap tap… numbers, numbers, numbers multiplied by more numbers multiplied by Amele’s secret formula key number.

The students returned to class today, armed with their answers for yesterday’s homework. Unfortunately, despite all the hard work invested, everyone got all of the questions wrong.
We were puzzled. Upon further investigation, we found that the students did not know how to use the measuring tape. Some recorded their measurements in centimetres, some in millimetres, and some in inches. Amele slapped his forehead, realizing that he had forgotten to teach the students an important aspect in the procedure.

“Lik lik tasol,” Amele said. Yet, all is not lost and he remained as optimistic as ever. “If you don’t make mistakes, you don’t ask questions. So it is good for us to make mistakes so we will ask questions to find a solution.”

Soon after, all the students mastered the measuring tape and began producing accurate answers in no time.

I reckon the eco-forestry initiative came about in the same manner. Mistakes were made in the past, people began to ask questions. Fortunately, the answers came and the Kunis found a solution in eco-forestry.

The sun has set now and the students are drawn to the kerosene lamp under our hut. It looks like Amele has given them more homework. It is really encouraging to see how keen the students are to learn about the sawmill and managing the forest.

On top of all that, it soothes my heart to know their backyard will be preserved for the benefit of future generations. As Amele said, “I am teaching you how to take the logs out of the forest without taking the forest out of your land.”