Girls & Women A tradition that celebrates girls and benefits the community and planet. Every culture has its own traditions surrounding the birth of a child, but this one might be my favorite. In a country that historically favors the birth of a son, Piplantri village in India has created a new tradition that not only celebrates the birth of a daughter, but also benefits the community and the planet. You see, every time a girl is born they plant 111 trees. That’s right, 111 trees! This eco-conscious tradition was started by a former village leader when his own daughter passed away at an early age. Since then over a quarter of a million trees have been planted, ensuring that with each new generation the future gets a little greener. As part of the tradition in Piplantri, the village also creates a “trust”. With contributions from the girl’s parents and the village residents, a trust of 31,000 rupees (US $500) is collected. This sum is set aside in a 20 year fixed deposit for the girl. This fixed deposit ensures that the girl will never be a financial burden to her family, and alleviates some of the stress historically […]
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