Events

Nairobi, 5 June 2014 – A unique worldwide tree planting initiative, as we marked World Environment Day’s theme: Raise Your Voices, Not the Sea Level. The GBM in partnership with the Hilton Hotel and the Kenya High School teamed up to mark the day. The event, at the start of the country’s rainy season, is one of many taking place under the joint initiative of the Green Belt Movement to plant 20,000 trees towards a cleaner and greener Nairobi. The school situated, about 7 km from the city centre and covers approximately 100 acres. 

Officiating during the ceremony, The Environmental club Patron Ms. Holie encouraged the students and the public that trees are important and deforestation will increase the amount of Carbon 4Oz in the atmosphere and thus led to global warming. She told the students that planting trees is an essential part of maintaining the environment. “Our role as a school is to address issues on deforestation. She said “We need to take the initiative now, to prevent future problems.

The Deputy Principle Ms. Mugendi applauded the schools’ efforts as an eco-school which cares for the environmental by keeping it clean and greener. In her remarks, she urged the girls to take care of the trees they will be planting today by watering and nurturing for them until they the leave school. As part of the schools strategic plan, they are meant to plant 400 trees each year, but they are happy that today they will be planting 2000 trees. She said the tree-planting exercise presents an opportunity to further enhance the learning landscape for students, leaving a positive and lasting legacy. “Apart from the obvious environmental benefits, here at Kenya High School they share GBM’s founder Wangari Maathai’s mission, vision and the good work by planting more trees in our environment”.

The Hilton Hotel Team lead by Mr. Jacob Ong’injo said that the hotels main aim is to fill the earth with light and warmth of hospitality under their initiative programme “Travel with a Purpose” which is the banner they were carrying to mark this event. They engage with the communities and protect the world in which we live by conserving the environment and making it a better place.

GBM’s Senior Program Officer, Corporates & Climate Change – Mr. Charles Mwangi, thanked the students, the Kenya High School Administration and Hilton Hotel for their role in conserving the environment, as he quoted Prof. Wanagri Maathai...” We can say many things, but until we actually remove the potting bag from that particular tree and plant in the hole, the rest remains irrelevant. “He gave statistics on how the sea level is increasing at 3.2mm every year and the effects of climate change in Kenya are already showing through the rain patterns. He told the girls that the trees they are holding and planting today is there future,” he said.

“Poem by the Environmental Club (Alice Grace & Anita Bright)” Raise Your Voices, Not the Sea Level.

The bitter cries of the seas and the laments never seizes, every single day they pleaded. Your attention is all they need.

Raise your Voices… Not the Sea Level

The morning of the 3^rd day dawn our majesty who is our Lord our God thought of nothing but the vegetation, he knew this would make a better nation and in all of this trees took the better portion.

Raise your Voices…Not the Sea Level

The trees grew lesser and lesser, the sun shines brighter and brighter, hotter and hotter, the sea level rose higher and higher.

Raise Your Voices…Not the Sea Level

We have no problem with your industries, but your waste makes us worry. The smoke slowly cling the ozone, the sun shines like it has never shown before.

Raise Your Voices… Not the Sea Level

We long for the good old days when the rivers never sail…when the environment was good, fresh air to breathe in and out, the sea was good just perfect.

Raise Your Voices… Not the Sea Level

We need to make a change, wake up from your slumber, afforestation, and reforestation again and again until we reach our aim.

Raise Your Voices… Not the Sea Level

A total of 2000 indigenous trees of different species were planted with the school compound. Participants included teachers, GBM Staff, Form 1& 2 students and the Hilton Team in the tree-planting activity. The species planted were Grevillea robusta, Cordia africana, Podocarpus falcatus, Spathodea campanulata, Markhamia lutea, Teclea nobilis, Zyzygium spp, Vitex keniensis, Mangifera indica, Prunus africana and Warbugia ugandensis.

World Environment Day is celebrated on June 5th every year to raise global awareness of the fact that positive measures have to be implemented by the general public to safe guard the environment.

Photo Gallery of the event: