Absa Bank Uganda has forged a groundbreaking partnership with the Ministry of Works and Transport, embarking on a united front against climate change through an innovative tree planting initiative.
Through this collaboration, the two entities aim to not only bolster the nation’s green cover but also set a commendable precedent for corporate-social collaborations in the realm of ecological conservation.
In this initiative for environmental conservation, the two organizations will involve a participation of up to 80,000 students across 160 primary and secondary schools, ensuring the survival and growth of a total of 160,000 trees.
Centered around tree planting, the partnership between Absa Bank Uganda and the Transport Ministry stands ready to stimulate a constructive transformation, nurturing a balanced coalescence of economic advancement and environmental welfare.
Positioned as a pivotal method to reclaim Uganda’s diminishing green landscape, the initiative will encompass active participation from school staff, students, and volunteers in continuous tree care endeavors.
This will encompass collaborating with school authorities to integrate tree-focused subjects into their curriculum, orchestrating workshops, seminars, and practical exercises that enlighten students about the significance of trees and their ecological role.
Additionally, the campaign will encompass the planting and upkeeping of 160,000 trees within the regions of Kampala, Wakiso, Mukono, Mityana, and Mubende, ultimately benefiting 160 primary and secondary schools.
The declaration was unveiled during a ceremony hosted at Highland Secondary School today in Kisaasi. At this event, partners, students, and volunteers planted 2,000 trees and pledged to replicate this figure within each of the selected schools by December 2023.
Highlighting the urgency during the ceremony, Gen. Edward Katumba Wamala, Minister of Works and Transport and Patron of the “My Tree Initiative” underscored the necessity for increased public participation and organizational involvement in the effort to replenish Uganda’s depleting tree population.
“Uganda has been blessed with a beautiful natural environment, but the rate at which we are defiling it is going to be detrimental to our livelihoods in the long run and deprive future generations of the opportunity to enjoy their home country. I, therefore, call upon more people and organisations in the private sector to join this noble cause for the good of our nation and its people,” said Gen. Wamala.
Also speaking during the event, Mumba Kalifungwa, Absa Bank Uganda’s Managing Director, said that Absa is placing its firm faith in the transformative power of the youth to steer change and mold the future.
He added that with an emphasis on fostering a sense of environmental responsibility and care, the bank is championing the planting of trees among young individuals.
“As a pan-African bank, Absa Bank Uganda has a strong belief in the potential of the youth to drive change and shape the future. By encouraging young people to plant trees, we are incorporating within them a culture of responsibility towards and care for the environment, which will reap tremendous benefits for their communities and the country as a whole,” said Kalifungwa.
According to statistics from Global Forest Watch, Uganda lost 967 kilohectares of tree cover from 2001 to 2021, equivalent to a 12% decrease in tree cover since 2000. This has led to biodiversity loss, greatly hampering the rainfall formation cycle.
As reported by National Geographic, trees play a vital role in absorbing carbon dioxide and trapping greenhouse gases produced by human economic activities.
The release of these gases into the atmosphere contributes to global warming and exacerbates prolonged droughts and irregular rainfall patterns, a phenomenon increasingly frequent due to Uganda’s rapid deforestation rate.
Enjer Ashraf, Executive Director of “My Tree Initiative” a non-profit organization founded by Ugandan youth committed to combatting climate change, commented, “Recognizing that the youth embody our future, we are enlisting nearly 80,000 primary and secondary school students in this endeavor. Our goal is to engage them in the mission to rejuvenate Uganda’s tree coverage, fostering a genuine affinity for their natural surroundings and instilling fundamental principles of responsible environmental stewardship.”
This strategic alignment not only underscores the Absa’s dedication to corporate social responsibility but also represents a significant stride towards a more ecologically conscious and resilient Uganda.
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