Green Teachers on a look and learn session at St. Martin Kaewa Secondary School. The school scooped 1st place in GIC phase I.

120 green teachers from schools participating in the Green Initiative Challenge reviewed the progress made in the afforestation competition by their institutions during the second capacity building exercise held at various centres in the three counties of Kitui, Machakos and Embu from 13 – 15 July.

The exercise, facilitated by the sponsors, KenGen Foundation, Better Globe Forestry and Bamburi Cement,assessed the gains the schools have made and challenges facing them in the management and execution of the tree-planting competition two months after they were supplied the seedlings.

The capacity building exercise was also a knowledge-sharing forum for the teachers to exchange ideas on the best practices of tree seedling nurturing techniques and woodlot management with officials from the National Environment Management Authority, Kenya Forestry Service, and Better Globe Forestry.

Mohamed Ali, NEMA’s Embu County Director of Environment during the capacity building exercise

“Capacity building within the GIC is essential for the success of the project as it acts as platform for the teachers to make informed decisions,” said Mohamed Ali, NEMA’s Embu County Director of Environment. “The Green Teacher is a unique concept in conservation as this creates a new crop of environmental champions”.

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The participants were also taken through various nursery management practices including weeding, seed propagation, pest and disease control, and best practices in sustainable water harvesting.