An evening swim in the Indian Ocean was the crowning moment for thirty students of Thua Primary School, Kitui, during their tour of Mombasa City, June 12 – 15. This was part of their reward for clinching first position in Phase II of the Schools Green Initiative Challenge, which concluded in February 2018.
Two days earlier, the students and their teachers experienced Madaraka Express, the country’s new railway line, when they travelled from Nairobi to Mombasa, having arrived in the city from Kitui by bus.
Thua Primary School students experience Madaraka Express, popularly known as the SGR, during their Mombasa educational trip.
The students, who spent their first day’s morning on a tour of KenGen’s Kipevu Power, managed to beat 119 other schools from the semi-arid counties of Embu, Machakos, and Kitui in a two-year tree planting competition at their 0.5 acre plots for survival rates. Participating schools were given 300 seedlings to compete with their counter parts in nurturing them using different approaches and innovations.
READ MORE: Schools Green Initiative Challenge Welcomes 100 New Schools as Phase II Winners Recognized.
Thua Primary School students tour KenGen’s Kipevu Power Station during their educational tour in Mombasa.
In the afternoon, the students visited Haller Park, Bamburi Cement Ltd.’s rehabilitated quarry, and now a successful model of sustainable environmental management. Learning more about the various plant and animal species, the students also had a chance to explore the Butterfly House and marvel at the ferocity of the resident crocodiles during a feeding session!
GIC II winners, Thua Primary School explore the biodiversity rich Haller Park, a rehabilitated quarry and model of sound environmental management.
Thua Primary School is part of an exciting 10-year afforestation project implemented by the KenGen Foundation in partnership with Better Globe Forestry and Bamburi Cement Ltd. Starting with an initial 81 schools in 2013, the GIC aims to green over 500 acres within schools in Embu, Kitui, and Machakos with Senna siamea, Melia volkensii, Terminalia brownii, paw-paw and yellow passion as way of mitigating climate change and providing multiple benefits.
ALSO READ: 1st Capacity Building Workshop Sets Agenda for GIC Phase IV.
Currently with more than 400 schools involved, the GIC is in Phase IV and has so far incorporated ‘Green Teachers’ – schools environmental patrons; capacity building sessions for the green teachers and head masters; monitoring and evaluation exercises; and exciting prizes for the top three winning schools.
The ultimate goal of the GIC is to raise the awareness and participation of school children in environmental conservation and ultimately increase the country’s forest cover from the current 7% to the 15% recommended by UNEP.
A tour of Mombasa is incomplete without a visit to Fort Jesus!
The next day, the students visited Fort Jesus, Mombasa’s iconic landmark, and were fascinated by the rich history of the ancient Arab – Portuguese war. They attentively listened (and sometimes scribbled in their notebooks) to the local tour guide, who took his time explaining the intriguing historical journey within the massive and crumbling walls.
In the afternoon, they explored Bamburi Nature Trail, taking advantage of a playing ground to indulge in fun and games before planting local tree seedlings at a secluded site aptly named Thua!
As they leave the beach later in the evening, the students are tired, but elated.
But most importantly, the trip has lit a spark in their hearts. Planting trees really pays!
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–Ernest Nyamasyo, Communication Officer