Forty students have landed academic sponsorship from a tree-planting initiative targeting secondary school students.
Kaptagat Girls' Secondary School in Elgeyo Marakwet established a tree nursery that produces nearly 10,000 seedlings annually, whose proceeds go towards sponsorship of needy students at the institution.
On Saturday, the school located near Kaptagat forest hosted officials from Kenyatta University Teaching, Referral and Research Hospital (KUTRRH) and Global Peace during a tree planting drive in partnership with Chandaria Foundation, Standard Group Plc and Ministry of Health.
The school's principal Florence Natembeya said the 40 students will be sponsored through the climate mitigation initiative.
The organisations procured tree seedlings from the school under the climate change mitigation initiative.
"As a school, we have a target of producing 10,000 seedlings every year and we want to plant at least 52,000 trees within and outside the institution in the next three years," said Natembeya.
KUTRRH Chief Executive Officer Ahmed Dagane lauded the initiative, saying it inculcates tree planting culture among learners.
Dagane said the referral facility will plant 51,000 trees in Kipkabus forest.
KUTRRH board chair Olive Mugenda said the programme will boost efforts by the Ministry of Health, which was charged with spearheading the government's 15 billion trees initiative.
"We bought tree seedlings from the school. Children should be involved in the presidential climate change mitigation directive," Prof Mugenda said.
Global Peace Manager in charge of environment, Japheth Ouda, said the trees will ensure the region receives adequate rainfall and minimise conflict over critical resources.
