Led by Hon. Ephantus Kimani Kimotho, the Principal Secretary of the State Department of Forestry to the Republic of Kenya on the 16th of February 2023, Global Peace Foundation Kenya, Chandaria Foundation, and Standard Group PLC through KTN Farmers TV in collaboration with Daystar University seek to engage the communities and university in environmental peace-based service initiatives in promoting a culture of service and volunteerism in enhancing environmental conservation targeting to support the 30% forest cover, of growing 15 billion trees in the next 10 years.
This one nursery seeks to raise 60,000 seedling capacities annually that will be transplanted within the campus compound and within Machakos county, this is a brand to foster environmental social entrepreneurship to enhance youth employability that would be replicated across the region.
The initiative takes a community-driven leadership approach that aims at impacting by empowering both the institution and the community creating a mutual ground for cooperation thus promoting sustainable environmental conservation with a focus on reforestation.
Today, it is clear that the country is facing serious environmental challenges resulting from unsustainable human activities that include over-exploitation of natural resources (forests, rivers, lakes, etc), poor garbage disposal, and pollution. Consequently, the vicious cycle of poverty and environmental degradation remains unbroken. The end result is severe calamities. The rural areas are most affected as the residents are economically challenged. For instance, Machakos County as at now stands at 2.59% forest cover as per the Kenya Forest Service report.
The A million trees project will apply various technologies and new models that seek to inculcate a sense of ownership from institutions that show up to voluntarily own and commit to taking care of the nurseries and trees to be grown just as Daystar University has committed to owning this new nursery.
At the moment we have done 6 nurseries: one in Kilifi County (The 1st Methodist Church in Ribe), 2nd one in Kiambu County Starehe Girls Centre, 3rd in Laikipia County (Endana), 4th in Nairobi County (Nairobi Primary), 5th in Elgeyo Marakwet (Kaptagat Girls) and the 6th Machakos (Daystar University Athi River Campus). Eventually, we seek to establish in all 47 counties and therefore we call for more corporates to come on board and support this good course.
Thank you KTN News and Daystar University for the coverage
KTN News: https://youtu.be/IU_X4LPljWg
Daystar University: https://youtu.be/x7Bh3BnIwMM