After two years of competition, the KenGen Foundation, together with project partners Better Globe Forestry and Bamburi Cement Ltd., are ready to announce the winners of Phase II of the Schools’ Green Initiative Challenge (GIC) following the final evaluation conducted on 25 January at KenGen’s Kamburu Power Station, Machakos County.
The GIC Technical Committee comprising of KenGen Foundation’s Anthony Igecha and Ernest Nyamasyo, and Better Globe Foresty’s Samuel Nakhone, Julius Mwanyalo, and Daniel Ndolo, visited participating schools to evaluate and grade the ones with the highest seedlings survival rates.
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The GIC II involved participating schools from the three counties of Embu, Machakos and Kitui compete to plant and nurture drought resistant Terminalia brownie, Senna siamea and Melia volkensi tree species in 0.5 acre woodlots in their school compounds.
A GIC Phase II school in Machakos County. The second phase of the competition had a total of 120 schools and is an upscale of the successful Phase I pilot project that initially involved 81 schools.
The sustainable management of the schools’ tree nurseries and woodlots will provide them with a renewable source of wood fuel thus reducing pressure on surrounding vegetation and forest resources. It also accords the schools an opportunity to diversify their income through the sale of timber & non-timber products.
The afforestation project is designed as a challenge mainly due to the dry weather conditions in the areas, with prizes awarded based on the highest survival rate of seedlings and use of innovation in growing the trees.
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The best performing schools stand a chance of winning education scholarships, school trips, infrastructural developments and cash awards.
The second phase of the competition had a total of 120 schools and is an upscale of the successful Phase I pilot project that initially involved 81 schools within the counties of Embu and Machakos.
The GIC aims to raise the awareness and participation of school children in environmental conservation activities, and develop a culture of tree planting within communities.
The dates for the announcement and awards of the GIC Phase II winners will be communicated soon.
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–Ernest Nyamasyo, Communication Officer