By Leonard Kamugisha Akida,
WAKISO
Environmentalists and corporate leaders have called upon the government to integrate climate change and environmental conservation into the national school curriculum to foster a culture of sustainability among the younger generation.
The call was made by Ashiraf Enjer Dumba, the CEO of My Tree Initiative, during the official launch of a massive tree-planting drive at Gayaza Junior School on Wednesday. The project, which aims to plant over 5,000 fruit trees in schools across the country, saw the establishment of a fruit orchard at Gayaza with over 600 trees, including mangoes, guavas, jackfruits, and soursops.
Enjer expressed concern over the rising cases of wetland encroachment and the rampant felling of trees for charcoal, and timber which he noted has severely destabilized the climate.
“These young children have not destroyed the environment, but they are experiencing the impacts of the actions of adults. By engaging and inspiring them to plant and maintain trees, we can ensure a green Uganda for years to come,” Ddumba said.
He challenged the government to move beyond policy and focus on strict enforcement of existing environmental laws for sustainable protection and conservation.
“We see people slashing swamps to construct houses and they go free. Government must increase enforcement of the already existing laws,” he added.
He further proposed a national “re-greening” project through Parliament, requiring every Ugandan to plant at least one tree annually to reverse existing damage. The initiative is supported by corporate partners including Crown Beverages Limited (Pepsi), Prudential Uganda, National Forestry Authority and Centenary Bank.
Peter Mugarura, the Head of Marketing at Prudential, emphasized the link between a stable environment and social security, noting that their involvement aims to ensure a sustainable future for the children they serve.
“At Prudential Uganda, we believe that protecting the environment is fundamental to protecting lives and securing the future,” he said.
“We are also here because we care about the environment. 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.”
The Brand and Communications Manager at Crown Beverages Limited, popularly known as Pepsi, Pearl Kitimbo Elizabeth said the partnership with My Tree Initiative complements Pepsi’s ongoing efforts to remove plastic waste from the environment.
“One of our most essential environmental impact that we do is ensuring that we take plastic off our environment. That’s our biggest project that we do. We’ve been doing this with a couple of sites all over the country. However, that doesn’t stop us from partnering with people like My Tree Initiative to also take care of the environment,” Kitimbo said.
She stressed that engaging children early is key to building a generation that values environmental conservation.
“It is very important that we teach them young. When you involve children at an early age, they understand the importance of trees and grow up knowing how to protect the environment,” she said. “When you find an adult and start talking about trees, they might listen, but when you teach a child, it stays with them for life. We want to ensure that future generations have a great place to stay and fruits to eat.”
The Deputy Headteacher of Gayaza Junior School, Elkana Ssenvume, who represented the Headteacher, Sarah Tebugulwa Kizito, pledged the school’s commitment to nurturing the orchard and maintaining the trees to maturity.
“We have a big task to perform. We shall water the trees during the dry season, mulch, and spray against pests to ensure they grow well,” Ssenvume said.
Nyanzi Lillian Gwokyalya, the school’s Quality Assurance Supervisor, noted that the initiative would provide both nutritional value and revenue to the school while serving as a practical learning tool for the pupils.
“What children learn at a young age stays with them. This experience will shape how they value the environment,” she said.
