School-going children remain a key driver in the country’s achievement of its forest coverage and the president’s dream of planting about 15 billion trees by 2032.
As the world celebrates the environment day, environmentalists are calling on the government to invest more in the children and youth, through schools, under their environment clubs, youth groupings in church, as well as incentivising them to plant and nurture trees if the common goal of forest cover is to be achieved.
One such school is the DEB KMC MIXED PRIMARY SCHOOL in Mavoko sub-county, Machakos county, where, in collaboration with local environmentalists, the pupils have reclaimed the semi–arid land and have planted trees from borehole water sunk in the school as they nurture them.
When the clock strikes 3 PM every school going day, and the bell rings for co-curricular activities at the DEB KMC primary school in Mavoko sub county, Machakos county, a dedicated lot sacrifices their playing time – at least for some few minutes – to tend to trees they have planted all over the school under the health and environment club.
They have done this religiously as they have an assignment to make sure the trees do not die under their watch.
There are dedicated teachers who supervise their activities, but the aim is to instil, not just discipline, but also to grow a generation that is keen on environmental issues, more so at a time when climate change is a word on most people’s lips across the world.
The champions have taken it upon themselves to also learn more about Mother Earth
The school has partnered with a local environmental foundation known as the KISAKA FOUNDATION KENYA, which has taken it upon itself to reclaim the semi–arid land that is the larger Ukambani area, sourcing different species of trees
These trees, mostly with either water value or fruit value, are critical in encouraging the communities around to invest in planting trees to change the face of the region.
Consequently, the children in KMC mixed primary also have an opportunity to interact with other pupils from neighbouring schools, where they have competitions on who is conserving nature the best,t which fuels their drive for changing the environment around them