My Tree Initiative, Prudential and Crown Beverages Move to Regreen Ugandan Schools from Environmental Threats.
By Cedrick Mwesigwa
Environmentalists under My Tree Initiative (MTI) wants enforcement against the destruction of environment be heightened as a guardrail to its growing threats, but also as a strategy to foster the country’s greening transitioning agenda.
Speaking at the sidelines of the launched Schools Forests and Financial Literacy Programme at Gayaza Junior School in Wakiso district, Ashraf Enjer Dumba MTI’s executive director noted that, while more efforts have been made by different stake holders aimed at protecting the environment through various restoration campaigns, several protected areas such as swamps and natural forests remain under severe threat of encroachment for settlements, which calls for serious curbs if its effects like flooding from the climate change are to be mitigated.
“Govt has to improve and advocate for more approaches in different sectors, we believe this can help to save more agricultural and environmental sectors”, He said.
Dumba expressed the need by government to extend financial support towards their school regreening initiatives through parliament. “We can start with may be 1 million tree per year tasking every Ugandan to plant at least a tree, it would reverse the impact of the climate change in Uganda”.
Asked why their campaign put more focus on academic institutions, the My Tree Initiative chief executive explained that learners are the next generation that can be part of the solution although they have nothing to do with the prevailing problem.
He revealed that 600 hundred fruit trees would be planted in an integrated initiative with MTI partners including Prudential Assurance, Crown Beverages, NFA and Centenary Bank at Gayaza Jr. School, with an aim of strengthening environmental conservation and financial literacy among young learners.
Prudential Assurance Supports the Campaign.
Prudential Assurance head of marketing and communications Peter Mugarura expressed commitment for sustainable environmental protection, saying, protecting environment is fundamental to protecting lives and securing the future.
“This World Earth Day partnership with My Tree Initiative reflects our commitment to taking practical action that delivers lasting impact. Planting trees in schools is an investment in climate resilience, education, and the wellbeing of future generations and is in line with our broader sustainability agenda of building resilient communities,” He emphasized.
Crown Beverages Hails the School Regreening Campaign.
The Crown Beverages marketing and communications head Elizabeth Kitimbo, revealed that their campaign with My Tree Initiative will target over 2000 schools this year, before explaining that that priority is on schools because teaching young learners would ease the campaign.
“Here in Gayaza Junior, an orchid of 600 fruit trees have been planted. Planting trees is one-way global warming will be curbed, saving environment and ensuring that generations to come will have a great place to stay”
Gayaza Jr. School quality assurance supervisor Lilian Gokyaalya Jajja Mummy welcomed the initiative, describing it as immemorable.
“This day is immemorable because we have never had such trees -600 in our schools. Our children are going to enjoy guavas, jack fruits and mangoes it. Initiative like this should be embraced by all schools. Children never forget that experience, they will go wherever they go to plant trees”
She further expressed the need for early child education regarding the tree planting and caring as one of the ways that will promote environmental sustainability.
