More than 2,000 trees were on Saturday planted in Mlolongo, Syokimau and Katani areas within Athi River, Machakos County.
The tree planting exercise was organised by the Mlolongo-based 4AS CBO in partnership with Katani Level 4 Hospital, Machakos county government and local provincial administration.
“As an organisation, we do this since we care about the environment,” 4AS CBO chairperson Jackeline Mulima told the Star during the exercise.
“For us to have a safe environment that’s conducive for everybody, we had to come with this initiative of a resident adopt a tree whereby each resident plants a tree and nurtures it until it grows.”
Seven hundred trees were planted during the ‘resident adopt a tree’ initiative’s launch at Kicheko dam in Syokimau.
The other 1,300 were donated to residents of Mlolongo, Syokimau and Katani sublocations to plant in their farms and homes.
Several other CBOs and residents, including traders, farmers, church leaders and cooperates’ representatives, participated in the whole-day event.
Kicheko dam is a public utility constructed on public land with various activities, including fishing and farming, ongoing in it and its neighborhoods.
Mlolongo assistant county commissioner Punden Amos presided over the initiative’s launch together with area chief Peter Ndunda.
Mulima said their organisation is determined to green the environment in Mlolongo division and its environs.
4AS CBO was established in 2016. It’s involved in road safety campaigns, blood donation drives and community sensitisation on various matters, including health and child education.
Mulima said the trees planted included fruit trees.
She called on more partners to join them in the tree planting initiative as a way of giving back to the community.
Katani Level 4 Hospital representative Valen Ikokha encouraged the residents to plant fruit trees, emphasising their importance.
Ikokha said as a hospital, they are not only keen on healthcare provision but also environmental conservation as a way of giving back to the community through their CSR programme.
“As Katani Level 4 Hospital, we are proud to be part of this communal work,” she said.
“Fruit trees are important, especially on the nutrition aspect that is helpful to human bodies. We, therefore, encourage all of us to plant more fruit trees for health benefits.”
She advised locals to visit accredited health facilities for health care whenever they fall sick instead of self-medicating and staying at home.
“Kindly beware that Katani Level 4 Hospital is fully operational despite the ongoing doctors’ strike, come for treatment,” Ikokha said.
Mlolongo chief Peter Ndunda lauded the lobby group and its partners for the tree planting initiative.
“This initiative is a boost to President William Ruto’s project of seeing 15 billion trees planted in the country by 2032,” Ndunda said.
“Over 300 residents participated in the exercise planting 700 trees at the dam and 1,300 others in their private farms and homes.”
Ndunda urged residents to join in tree planting especially during the rainy season.
“We continue to emphasise to the community on importance of tree planting and environmental conservation in general,” Ndunda said.
“People should plant trees in numbers, they will be of great benefits to the country and future generations.”
