Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB) targets to plant 1.5 million trees before 2028 to complement government efforts to conserve the environment in the country.
KCB Foundation Director Mendi Njonjo has said that the organisation has planted 280,000 trees across the country this year.
“As KCB, we agreed for every branch to plant at least 1,100 tree seedlings, and this year we have surpassed the target by planting 280,000 trees,” said Njonjo while addressing the media at Kiu Wetland in Makindu Sub County on Monday, where the National Tree-Growing Day was led by President William Ruto.
Further, the director said that they are also working with 4 K-clubs in schools through an initiative they call Linda Miti, which is inculcating a culture in pupils and students to grow trees.
“Through the exercise, every student will plant a tree and nurture it to grow. It is one thing to plant a tree and make it grow, which is why today is growing trees,” she posed.
“We want to make sure that through 4K clubs in schools, children have a sense of growing trees,” Njonjo added.
During the national tree-growing exercise at Kiu, over 150,000 trees were planted, whereby different organisations involved in conservation of the environment graced the occasion by growing trees in the area.
Due to encroachment and farming in the area, which is 2,000 acres of land, it has resulted in the drying up of the River Makindu, which used to supply water to Makindu town and its environs.
As a result, President Ruto directed Environment and Forestry Cabinet Secretary (CS) Soipan Tuya to gazette the 10 catchment areas in Makueni, along with the other 10,000 wetlands across the country.
The CS disclosed that over 2 million tree seedlings had been planted before the national tree-growing exercise kicked off on Monday.
By Patrick Nyakundi
