KETSO

Plant N Boom ensures the planting and management of trees through an agreement with KETSO B.V. (KETSO Company limited). This company specializes in planting trees in an ecologically responsible manner and works with local farmers in Sierra Leone. KETSO is a renowned forestry company that has been operational since 2004. Both KETSO and Plant N Boom were founded by Dr. Eamonn Hanson and are part of his dream to provide Sierra Leone with a "green" legacy. Eamonn is not a member of the Plant N Boom board to prevent conflicts of interest with KETSO. KETSO and Plant N Boom are partners, but they remain independent organizations. In the event of KETSO's bankruptcy, Plant N Boom will not be held responsible, or vice versa. Orders from Plant N Boom to KETSO will be placed "at arm's length". This means that mutual parties must account for transactions at market rates.

Click here for the KETSO website.

Genesis by founder Eamonn Hanson

My name is Eamonn Hanson. I am from Sierra Leone and am driven to help my country with sustainable development. My father always dreamed of setting up a farm, but was never able to realize it due to the circumstances in Sierra Leone. In 2004, I traveled to Sierra Leone and started a tree nursery to revive my father's dream.

Since my youth, I dreamed of a developed and prosperous Sierra Leone. I saw the opposite happening: in 1991 the country was plunged into a terrible civil war and in 2014 it was hit by the Ebola epidemic. In 2017, nearly a thousand people died in the capital Freetown due to gigantic landslides. Events that had major consequences and a significant impact on the country.

At thirteen, I moved to the Netherlands. I went to school there and completed my psychology studies. After graduating, I worked for the National Aerospace Laboratory for a number of years. After the events of September 11, 2001, the aviation industry collapsed, causing me to lose my job. Not long after, I decided to return to Sierra Leone to start the tree nursery.

I wanted to plant trees in the village of Makombeh. A village with only four hundred inhabitants that was almost cut off from the outside world and after which the educational foundation and tree company are now named. After my arrival, I immediately fell in love with the lifestyle and nature in the area again. The community initially found my idea strange but nevertheless helped me by providing land. Friends made it possible for me to purchase materials for a school and have a bridge built for Makombeh. The school was built by the residents themselves, and thanks to a friend who was willing to act as a guarantor, the first teacher could receive his salary. This is how the small primary school originated, which has now grown into a full-fledged school with six classes and 200 students. The arrival of the school prevents children from having to travel a long and dangerous road to other villages to attend classes. The school is managed by the Makombeh foundation, which is responsible for the teachers' salaries and school materials.

By then, the first young people had completed their school careers and were looking for new opportunities. Some of them came to me with the idea of setting up a cooperative to save forests in their area. This is how KETSO was born.

KETSO buys poorly maintained agricultural land and plants new trees, thereby restoring the landscape. The CO2 absorption by the new forests is offered as so-called "carbon credits" on international markets. This provides the opportunity to purchase a piece of CO2 reduction. Thanks to the enterprise, the young people of the village have the opportunity to work during the growing, pruning, and planting seasons. As a sustainable enterprise, KETSO not only contributes to CO2 reduction but also offers opportunities for the local population.

Watch Eamonn's video here.