Hank is Aid to Live's Director of Humanitarian Aid, and Fredda is the founder of Just Us Friends, Inc., a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.  They are standing in front of the Tree of Life in the Maasai territory. According to the Maasai, this Boabab tree is the first and oldest tree in the world. 

 

The Baobab tree is often referred to as the “upside-down tree” because its branches resemble roots sticking up. Believed to have lived thousands of years, the Baobab has deep roots to enable it to find water underground, and store water in its trunk during rainy months to sustain it through the dryer periods.

 

LEGENDS + MYTHS

The Baobab tree is an essential part of African culture – a symbol of strength, wisdom, health, long life, and beauty.  It is a sacred link to the past, and is sometimes associated with the beginning of creation.

 

There are many legends about how the tree came to be. One is the god Thora who did not like the Baobab in his garden, so he threw it down where it landed on earth – upside down yet still growing.  Another story is that the gods became so angry by the beautiful Baobab`s conceit that they turned it upside down to teach it a lesson.  In time, the tree became stronger and helped the African people thrive, as they too grew more resilient. Through the ages and across the African continent, people have told many versions of this legend. Yet the story always comes back to the unique circumstances of the tree, and its willingness to give so generously to the African people.