In Malawi, a forest the size of a soccer field is cut down every 10 minutes1.
Deforestation, or the loss of tree cover over a period of time, has a massive impact on the environment. Integrally connected to ecosystems, deforestation contributes to climate change, disrupts the water cycle, reduces biodiversity, and increases soil erosion. As the United Nations2 states under Sustainable Development Goal 15: Life on Land, “A flourishing life on land is the foundation for our life on this planet. We are all part of the planet’s ecosystem and we have caused severe damage to it through deforestation…Promoting a sustainable use of our ecosystems and preserving biodiversity is not a cause. It is the key to our own survival.”
Higher Education for Sisters in Africa (HESA) graduate, Sr. Agnes Kachali of the Sisters of the Holy Rosary (SHR), recognizes the importance of combating deforestation, particularly in her home district of Mzimba, Malawi. As part of her HESA Bachelor of Education in Geography degree at the Catholic University of Malawi, Sr. Agnes completed a research study entitled Predicating Future Levels of Deforestation Using Remote Sensing in Mzimba District. Sr. Agnes’ study used a mixed methods Earth observation technique to predict future deforestation trends in Mzimba for 2030. Her findings indicate that without intervention, Mzimba District can expect to see further declining trends in vegetative cover by 2030, to the detriment of the citizens of Malawi.
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Sr. Agnes’ analysis of vegetation in Mzima District 1990, 2000, 2010, and 2020, respectively.
In order to combat deforestation, Sr. Agnes recommends an increase in community education, the use of alternative fuel sources, stricter logging regulations, reforestation programs, and international collaborative efforts.
After graduating from the HESA program in September 2024, Sr. Agnes began teaching geography at Kaseye Girls Secondary School in Chitipa District, Malawi. In this position, she is charged with instructing 90 girls annually at the Form 1 level. As she herself was inspired to pursue a geography degree by a passionate teacher in her youth, Sr. Agnes hopes to foster a love for the planet, nature, and the beauty of the physical environment in her young students. Sr. Agnes’ determination and competence, achieved through completion of her degree via the HESA program, is evident in her school’s 94% average pass rate on the Malawi School Certificate of Education (MSCE) Exam, well over the national average pass rate of 56%.
Sr. Agnes and her pupils, working to inform others about the consequences of deforestation.
Of her participation in ASEC’s HESA program, Sr. Agnes said, “ASEC supported me financially, materially, and psychologically. I truly appreciate ASEC. That is why I am here today.”
Sr. Agnes continues to spread awareness of the negative impact of deforestation as a teacher in the classroom and in the broader community. Using her research study results, Sr. Agnes informs others about the consequences of deforestation; she hopes to inspire the generation of practical solutions that will have long lasting positive environmental effects. Moreover, Sr. Agnes’ efforts are stimulating tangible shifts, as some of her pupils have been motivated to plant trees in opposition to deforestation in Mzimba District. These seemingly small gestures plant the seed for cascading change, with the potential to heal our planet and improve all of our “lives on land.”
