GBM
In Kenya’s Great Rift Valley, climate change and environmental degradation have stripped the land of its vitality, threatening ecosystems, water sources, and livelihoods. But across five counties, Baringo, Nakuru, Nyandarua, Narok, and Makueni a bold vision is taking root.
The Green Belt Movement (GBM), with support from the Bezos Earth Fund, has launched a four-year project to restore degraded landscapes through community empowerment, strong local governance, and inclusive leadership. This vision came to life through a series of County Inception Meetings, platforms that brought together county governments, civil society, and grassroots communities to align on shared restoration goals.
“If we had listened to Prof. Wangari Maathai earlier, our climate crisis might not be this severe,” said Japheth Mang’oka, Makueni County CEC for Environment and Climate Change. His remarks were a rallying call for unity and decisive action.
In Baringo, where the project first launched, stakeholders laid the foundation for collaborative restoration. From here, the momentum travelled to Nakuru, where Director Grace Karanja emphasized the power of grassroots engagement in reclaiming forests and protecting water towers like Dundori.
In Nyandarua, Deputy Governor Mathara Mwangi hailed the initiative as a timely response to the county’s pressing climate vulnerabilities. Local leaders pledged to drive forward governance and conservation efforts rooted in community needs.
The dialogue deepened in Narok, a county critical to Kenya’s biodiversity. “This is not a one-actor task,” said Chief Officer Willy Loigero, echoing the collaborative ethos GBM has championed since its founding.
Finally, in Makueni, GBM concluded the inception meetings with renewed energy. Community representatives, leaders, and GBM staff reflected on a unified path forward, one anchored in Prof. Wangari Maathai’s legacy and a shared commitment to environmental justice.
“The most effective restoration begins where knowledge meets action, at the community level,” said GBM Executive Director, Dorothy Aseyo.
Through this project, communities are being equipped to lead the way in tree planting, nursery management, watershed protection, and sustainable land use. The meetings mark more than a project launch, signalling a movement, where people are not just participants, but leaders.
As CEC Mang’oka stated, the project underscores a crucial lesson, this initiative is a decisive step towards answering that call, rooted in the power of communities united for their environment.
