Over the years I have taken part in various passion activities to fundraise for the planting of trees and conservation of wildlife around Kenya and raise awareness through selling plants and working with peers my age in public schools in rural areas to empower students by gaining agricultural skills as well as fostering a sense of environmental stewardship and respect.

Most recently I have undertaken a project in Magareza Mixed Day School in Kitengela, Kenya; working with the AMARA Charitable Trust to plant fruit trees with an agricultural club of 20 students from that school each month to teach them how to plant trees, take care of them as well as the significance of embracing a sustainable life style so that they may use the fruits generated in the future to supplement their diet and for income generation purposes. Through this process I aim to not only cultivate life skills but a positive working relationship with the environment and an understanding of the natural world by introducing a new ecosystem into a barren school. 

Since January we have managed to plant 417 trees despite the break we had to take between March and July due to the corona virus outbreak. I have made a nursery for these trees in my home using recycled yogurt pots and milk bottles. These trees have ranged from avocado, moringa, papaya, golden apple, tangerine, mulberry, zambarau, peppercorn, mango and various other indigenous trees. I have also provided the school with various herb and vegetable seedlings for them to in cooperate in their kitchen garden. 

 Working with the students, we have come up with water solutions such as implementing drip irrigation to ensure greater survival of the trees as well as used mulching, weeding, grafting, composting and planting the moringa trees between the fruit trees to nitrate the soil and other techniques essential to maintaining the mini forest. 

Although the planting has been going on despite schools being closed due to the corona virus pandemic, once schools are legally opened by the government in Kenya, I will resume physical planting alongside the students. Once it is safe, we shall also make educational posters on sustainable farming, conservation and recycling so that all the students in the school have easy access to the information and shall take interest in implementing such activities.

I shall be visiting the school this Saturday to assess the planted trees as well as plant more, for which I shall post an update afterwards.