The KenGen Foundation, in partnership with Better Globe Forestry and Bamburi Cement Ltd., conducted the second and final workshop to review the progress of the Schools Green Initiative Challenge Phase V at various centers in Embu, Kitui and Machakos counties.
165 ‘green’ teachers, including head teachers, from the schools participating in the tree-planting competition attended the capacity building sessions held from September 17 – 20.
Speaking during the 4-day symposium, Chief Environment Officer, Eastern Region, Hussein Sommow, emphasized on various emerging issues and challenges in environmental conservation ranging from; pollution, land degradation, loss of biodiversity, deadly diseases like cancer, poor farming methods among others.
Echoing the words of Nobel Prize Winner Professor Wangari Maathai, Hussein said that the environment does not shout but it is very revengeful, and reaffirmed the Company’s commitment and support in ensuring that Phase V of the GIC is a success.
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During the workshop, participants were taken through the benefits of planting Senna siamea, Terminalia brownii, and Melia volkensii, as a way of mitigating climate change, providing wood fuel, and alternative income opportunities in the timber industry.
The team, comprising of KenGen Foundation’s Dorcas Arama, Ernest Nyamasyo and Mary Kimani, conducted the sessions with the project’s M&E Officers January Muthoka, Daniel Ndolo, Samuel Kariuki and new officers for GIC Turkana Abednego Ewoi, and Celestine Chepochongil from GIC West Pokot.
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The Monitoring and Evaluation officers advised the participants on how to identify and handle tree diseases, while the KenGen Foundation team demonstrated to the participants the monetary value of planting the trees. Better Globe Forestry’s Ambrose Musango encouraged the teachers to embrace the project in their individual households.
The GIC is a 10-year project funded by the partners at a cost of Ksh. 120 million and is an upscale of the successful Phase I pilot project that initially involved 81 schools within the counties of Embu and Machakos.
The project is designed as a challenge to participating schools, mainly due to the dry weather conditions in the areas. Prizes are awarded based on the highest survival rate of seedlings and use of innovation in growing the trees.
The GIC targets to reach 140,000 school children by 2018, with the schools being used as channels to reach out to the wider community members and encourage tree planting and nurturing.
Partners from Kenya Forest Service, Teachers service Commission and Sub county Education offices were also in attendance.
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–Ernest Nyamasyo, Communication Officer