Children’s Meeting Place
Kisumu Kenya 2003

Banyan (Ficus thonningii)

The children’s tree in Kisumu is a Chinese Banyan (Ficus thonningii). It is a good habitat for birds as the seeds are so delicious. The seeds are sterile but can be made to germinate after going through the digestive system of the birds. The seeds start growing down to the roots and engulf the tree. It strangles the tree to death – a natural process of taking care of old trees. The tree can also grow in cracks of walls and in other difficult conditions signifying the conditions in which the African children grow up.