The KenGen Foundation, in partnership with Better Globe Forestry and Bamburi Cement Ltd., recently conducted a workshop to review the progress of the Schools Green Initiative Challenge at various centers in Embu, Kitui and Machakos counties.
200 principals and ‘green’ teachers from the schools participating in the tree-planting competition attended the capacity building sessions held from September 26 – 28.
The Foundation’s Ag. Managing Trustee addressing the green teachers during the 3-day capacity building.
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Acting Managing Trustee, KenGen Foundation, Anthony Igecha lauded the schools for their progress in nurturing the tree seedlings and reaffirmed the Foundation’s commitment and support in ensuring that Phase IV of the GIC is a success.
“Despite the severe environmental conditions in the three semi-arid counties, the Foundation and partners pledge to replace the lost seedlings distributed earlier”, he said.
“We hope that the schools’ administration and students involved in the project take good care of the seedlings. Head teachers should ensure that the woodlots are looked after even when the schools close for the December holidays”, he added.
Green teachers interact with the presenters during the 2nd GIC IV tree-planting workshop.
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 project’s Monitoring and Evaluation officers also advised the participants on how to identify and handle tree diseases. The KenGen Foundation team demonstrated to the participants the monetary value of planting the trees, while Better Globe Forestry encouraged the teachers to embrace the project in their individual households.
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In a separate presentation, the teachers were trained on how to use social media in communicating their progress and innovations with their peers and project partners. Teachers from the 3 counties set up WhatsApp groups to facilitate the sharing of knowledge and information on the GIC.
A green teacher refers to the GIC Technical Manual, courtesy of project partners KenGen Foundation, Better Globe Forestry, and Bamburi Cement.
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.
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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.
Monitoring & Evaluation Officer January Muthoka takes the participants through the technicalities of nurturing the Mukau tree.
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.
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–Ernest Nyamasyo, Communication Officer