Magic to Uganda (’25) – Cooperation with ON A MISSION and distribution of 40,000 seedlings

Following the visible successes of recent years, we continued our tree-planting collaboration with ISCOT  in the Madi Opei region of northern Uganda this year. This year, we were able to rely on the support of the Swiss NGO ON A MISSION, which provided us with the financial resources to cultivate and distribute 40,000 seedlings.Thank you very much!

After distributing more than 100,000 seedlings to village communities, farmers, and schools in the region in recent years, this year we  distributed another 40,000 small trees  to motivated farmers and farming communities.You can find our preliminary report and appeal for donations here .

Our MttW-members Josh and Marcus were on site in April 2025  and were able to accompany and document some of the planting activities. They also took the opportunity to visit planting sites from previous years and collect additional GPS data and current photos. A selection of images can be found at the bottom of the page.

Summary of Magic to Uganda in 2025:

• Funding by Swiss NGO ON A MISSION
• Total investment by MttW (Sep’24-May’25):  €19,699.38
• Investment amount for tree planting activities:  €18,731.94 (€0.47/seedling)  for seedlings & distribution, costs for monitoring are still outstanding
• Investment amount for cultural engagement: €967.44 for musical instruments and costumes (5 groups) as well as additional luggage for donated laptops, etc.
• MttW team consisting of Josh and Marcus on site in April and May
• 40,000 seedlings  distributed to farmers and village communities
• Planting period: April-August 2025
• Collaboration with ISCOT  & local leadership by Jimmy, Joel and Village Champions
• Further cultivation of seedlings by the village communities, awareness raising and training by ISCOT and volunteers as well as MttW team

As in previous years, the distribution of the 40,000 seedlings was managed by ISCOT and supported by the Village Champions. These are dedicated members of farmers’ associations/communities who publicize the project, communicate the requirements, and serve as the first point of contact for interested parties. The seedlings were loaded into the trunk of Jimmy’s Land Rover at Joel’s nursery and driven directly to the selected farmers and their fields. In order to receive seedlings from our project, this year too, the farmers were required to fully prepare the fields where the seedlings were to be planted—i.e., clearing weeds, plowing, and digging a hole every 3 meters.

You can watch impressions of the distribution of the seedlings during the presence of the MttW team in this video:

You can take a closer look at all the planted fields in Uganda, as well as updated photos and videos of plantings from previous years, in our Magic Tree Tool . The well at Joel’s tree nursery, built in 2024, is now finished and ready for use. Here are a selection of the best photos from our visit to the Kitgum region:

In addition to distributing seedlings, we also collected donations for costumes and instruments for Acholi dance groups during our visit. To counteract the loss of Acholi culture, dance groups were founded to revive old dances and traditions. With your donations, we were able to gift four dance groups with instruments and costumes.
The social effects here are the same as in sports: solidarity, collaboration, structure, and a shared project bring the groups together and promote exchange within the community. Thanks to their new, professional image, the dance groups can make even more of their hobby. The costumes and instruments equip them well for performing at weddings, parties, and festivals. In addition to earning a small income and the opportunity to travel within their own country, Acholi culture is also being lived and spread. You can see what these dances look like with the new costumes here:

Each of us can contribute to the well-being of humanity. Uganda is one of the countries with the youngest average age in the world, and over 80% of the population works in agriculture. Stopping the advancing desertification in the north of the country is not only in the interest of nature, but also has a direct impact on the warm-hearted local people. With our commitment, we can not only  
protect the microclimate  and contribute to the fight against global warming, but also give the Acholi a gift:  
hope for the future . We especially want to make this possible for the children and hope that we can continue and expand this project together! Let’s keep trying to make the world a little better.

Step by step.

Project by Project.

Here’s how you can support our tree planting project and the Acholi culture in Uganda:

• By bank transfer to our donation account  (GLS Bank, no fees):

• Via Paypal to Magic to the World e.V. (ca. 2% Gebühren)

For all donations, you can receive a donation receipt/donation certificate afterwards or at the end of the year, which you can claim as a tax deduction in accordance with Section 50 Paragraph 1 of the Income Tax Ordinance (EStDV)!

Thank you!