Bondo: In a significant step towards combating climate change, the Andiwo Obondo Foundation, in partnership with One-acre Fund, has distributed over 5,000 tree seedlings to schools and churches in Bondo sub county.
According to Kenya News Agency, the Executive Chairperson of Andiwo Obondo Foundation, Mr. Andiwo Mwai, stated that more than fifty schools and churches received 100 tree seedlings each as part of the foundation’s commitment to environmental protection. The partnership saw One-acre Fund covering 40% of the total cost of the seedlings, with Andiwo Obondo Foundation shouldering the remaining expenses.
Mr. Mwai emphasized that distributing tree seedlings has been a core activity for the foundation over the past three years, aligning with their environmental protection pillar. The foundation collaborated with One-acre Fund to source seedlings at a lower price, which facilitated this large-scale distribution effort.
The initiative supports the government’s goal to increase forest cover to 10% by 2030. Siaya County currently has less than 2% forest cover and under 4% tree cover. Over the past four years, the foundation has distributed over 20,000 tree seedlings to public primary schools and aims to reach all 95 public secondary schools in Bondo and Usigu sub counties.
Vivian Achieng, an officer from One-acre Fund, highlighted the importance of the partnership in benefiting schools and farmers with the goal of increasing tree cover in Bondo. She mentioned that the Tupande initiative encourages farmers to plant trees by providing an additional 40 seedlings for every tree purchased from their nursery.
Samuel Otieno from Dunya Comprehensive School, a beneficiary of the tree seedlings, expressed gratitude for the initiative. He noted that the inclusion of fruit trees in the program will not only address low tree cover and malnutrition but also help prevent classroom roofs from being damaged by wind in the future.