Since 2013, more than 70,000 Nigerians have crossed into northern Cameroon fleeing Boko Haram attacks.

As they settled in Minawao as refugees, they were faced with difficult desert conditions, with nowhere to hide their heads when the sun was scorching.

So they opted to join forces to plant trees and have build what is now known as The Green Refugee Camp.

In today’s Africa Daily podcast, Alan Kasujja speaks to one of the refugees, Isaac Luka, who gives an account of how step-by-step, refugees embraced tree planting to counter a hot climate, and how the initiative is providing jobs, shade, health and food for hundreds of refugees and local families.

Alan also speaks to reporter Henry Tataw Ekambi to understand how Minawao looked before the refugees arrived, and to expert, Teboh Emmanuel, who shares insights into what it takes to successfully plant trees in arid areas.