KEPSA
Foundation, in partnership with Chandaria Foundation, Global Peace Foundation,
and Kenyatta High School Mwatate, co-hosted a local stakeholder mapping forum
to accelerate the uptake of trees seedlings from the Chandaria – Mwatate Tree
Nursery. The nursery was established at the school in Voi to enhance
environmental conservation efforts within the school and the surrounding
community. The event was spearheaded by the school Chief Principal, Mr. David
Kagutha, alongside KEPSA Foundation Vice Chairman and Mwatate Nursery champion,
Mr. Bill Lay. KEPSA Foundation management team was led by Executive Director
Ms. Gloria Ndekei, accompanied by Ms. Caroline Kawira and Ms. Susan Ng’ang’a.
KEPSA
Foundation brought together key local stakeholders, including the Kenya
National Chamber of Commerce & Industry (KNCCI) Taita Taveta Chapter, KCB
Group Limited Voi Branch, Equity Bank Voi Branch, Kenya Women Microfinance Bank
Limited (KWFT) Voi branch, Rotary Club leaders of the three Taita Taveta
Chapters. Taita Youth Alliance Chair, Global Peace Ambassador, and various
community-based organizations. The discussion focused on the uptake of
seedlings from the nursery, followed by a collaborative tree-planting
initiative at the school.
Mr. Bill Lay
commended Chandaria Foundation for its pivotal role in establishing the
school’s nursery, which has the capacity to nurture 100,000 fruit, indigenous,
and exotic seedlings annually He urged stakeholders to actively participate in
the distribution and adoption of these seedlings through a social enterprise
model, ensuring space for future planting cycles. Mr. Lay emphasized that increased
use of fruit seedlings could help mitigate food insecurity across the country,
improving both nutritional standards and overall health outcomes.
Discussions led
by KEPSA Foundation Executive Director, Ms. Ndekei centered on defining the
roles of the present stakeholders and identifying additional key players who
could contribute to the environmental conservation and sustainability agenda.
Stakeholders overwhelmingly committed to support the initiative as part of
their organizational sustainability goals, ensuring the nursery’s long-term
success in the county. The commitment included marketing and creating awareness
of the nursery, buying the seedlings, mobilizing stakeholders towards tree
planting, and growing efforts.
While speaking
at the event, Taita Taveta County’s Chief Officer for Environment, Climate
Change, and Natural Resources, Ms. Elizabeth Mbinga highlighted that the
county, with 3.4% forest cover and 6.2% tree cover, is still behind in
achieving the national targets of 10% forest cover and 30% tree cover. While
calling for stakeholders’ collaboration, she noted that the county has
developed a Forest and Land Conservation Plan aimed at restoring forest cover,
ranches, conservancies, roadsides, and institutional lands that have been
degraded by charcoal production and sand harvesting. Ms. Mbinga commended the
tree nursery and planting initiatives, stating that they could provide
alternative sources of income and employment for the community. The nursery
would also contribute to the county’s target of planting 360 million trees per
year.
The School
Chief Principal, Mr. Kagutha emphasized that the nursery would significantly
enhance the efforts of the school’s environmental club, providing students with
the opportunity to practice essential life skills, such as taking
responsibility for planting and nurturing trees. He noted that the school has
planted over 1,300 seedlings this year, with students assigned to ensure their
sustainability and growth. Additionally, he committed 3 hectares within the
school grounds for further tree planting efforts led by KEPSA Foundation
The Global
Peace Foundation Environmental Lead, Mr. Japheth Ouda stated that the tree
nursery initiative is a key part of their peacebuilding and community
development efforts. He emphasized the importance of embracing volunteerism,
benchmarking forest cover, commercializing tree-growing initiatives, and
accelerating seedlings offtake. He also noted that the nursery is one of 18
tree nurseries sponsored by Chandaria Foundation, with the goal of expanding to
all 47 counties.
