The Founder and Patron of Smart Mechanized Agriculture and Climate Action for Humanity and Sustainability (SMACHS) Foundation Charlene Ruto has pledged to partner with community organizations (CBOs) to conserve mangrove ecosystems.
On Saturday Charlene Ruto led youths to cycle from Makupa to Mikindani in a test-run activity for the International Youth Day. The cycling event’s culminated in participants planting more than 1000 mangrove propagules.
This year’s theme for the International Youth Day is ‘From Clicks to Progress: Youth Digital Pathways for Sustainable Development’.
Ms Ruto expressed her fondness for the youth and environmental conservation. The visit, she noted, was inspired by mangrove conservation efforts undertaken by Bigship Environmental CBO and Swahilipot in the Tudor Creek, the only forest in Mombasa that has degraded mangrove areas due to human activities and urban development.
“As a youth champion, I like to amplify what the youths are doing. There is no need for me to start a mangrove while you have a successful one here,” said Ruto, urging the youth to plant the remaining 480 that they didn’t manage to grow.
“It was my first time to plant mangrove trees. I have been hearing about it and seeing them online but I didn’t know it was this much fun. I have enjoyed a lot. I will be bringing my friends over to plant mangroves,” she added.
The SMACHS Foundation Patron further stated that she likes the enormous benefits of mangrove forests which include carbon sequestration and the different community initiatives in Tudor Creek.
“I liked the eco-tourism project that you have started. It’s a very innovative idea. The benefit of coming together in this network is we will be able to spread the word of what’s happening here,” stated Ruto.
She was also enthralled by the turn out by several young people in the tree-planting event saying, “Actually my joy for today is seeing the young people because as the older youths, we are passing on the right thing to the younger youths. In the next few years, they will take over this project.”
Mahmoud Noor, the Swahilipot Hub Founder said they will continue to plant trees since it has a bigger impact on the environment compared to other trees. He extolled the community for embracing mangrove conservation.
“We will also adopt an area here but our main interest is to support the boardwalk and the sitting area projects,” said Noor.
He noted that the commemoration of the International Youth Day will begin with a walk from the iconic tusks on Moi Avenue to the Swahilipot hub.
Kenya Forest Service (KFS) Deputy County Conservator Rebecca Mung’ori observed that the significance of mangroves has been overlooked in the past but mangroves are the unsung heroes for environmental conservation.
She thanked Ms Ruto for being at the forefront of environmental conservation and restoration of mangroves.
Mung’ori encouraged the youth to seek information on mangrove restoration and its species. “Use your voices to seek information on how you can use the mangroves for job creation,” she said.
By Sadik Hassan
