Once upon a time in Assam, there lived a young boy named Jadav Payeng. When he was just 16 years old, he saw something that made him very sad—a river island was drying up, and animals were dying because there were no trees to give them shade and shelter.
Jadav didn’t wait for someone else to act. Every day, he planted one tree. People laughed at him at first, thinking one boy couldn’t change anything. But Jadav believed in the power of nature—and himself.
Years passed, and he continued to plant more and more trees. Slowly, the dry land began to turn green. Birds returned, followed by animals like deer, elephants, and even tigers. What started with one boy’s efforts became a 1,360-acre forest, now known as Molai Forest, named after Jadav himself.
Jadav Payeng proved that one person, regardless of age or size, can make a significant difference. His story reminds us to care for nature and never stop trying, even if we’re alone at first.
