200,000 tree planting drive Key step towards greener Uganda
“The focus on schools gives the tree-planting campaign a sustainability dimension that extends beyond the number of trees planted. By involving learners in environmental conservation, the initiative can help nurture a generation that understands the importance of protecting natural resources and incorporating sustainability into everyday life,” Wamala said.
The students, staff of Nakanyonyi SS, representatives from My Tree Initiative, Rtd. General Katumba Wamala, the Chief Planter, Gift Shoko, the Equity Bank Managing Director during the initiative launch. (Courtesy Photo)
Minister for Public Service Rtd. General Katumba Wamala has commended Equity Bank Uganda and My Tree Initiative for their proactive approach to environmental conservation, highlighting the alignment with national frameworks.
Gen. Katumba Wamala said the initiative to plant 200,000 trees across schools in Uganda is a campaign that fosters investment in environmental sustainability and the future of the country.
He was speaking in Mukono during the recent launch of the Equity Bank and My Tree Initiative, a programme aimed at promoting tree planting and environmental conservation among schools and communities.
The initiative places schools at the centre of Uganda’s sustainability efforts, providing an opportunity to combine environmental restoration with education and community participation.
With increasing pressure on Uganda’s natural resources, tree planting is seen as an important tool in strengthening environmental protection. Trees help protect soils, support biodiversity, improve landscapes and contribute to the absorption of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
“The focus on schools gives the tree-planting campaign a sustainability dimension that extends beyond the number of trees planted. By involving learners in environmental conservation, the initiative can help nurture a generation that understands the importance of protecting natural resources and incorporating sustainability into everyday life,” Wamala said.
"This is more than a tree-planting initiative. It is a commitment to the future of our environment, our communities and, most importantly, the young people who will inherit the Uganda we build today,” Shoko said.
He highlighted that by involving students directly in tree planting and environmental conservation, they turn climate action from an abstract conversation into something young people can see, touch and take ownership of.
Gift Soko, the Managing Director of Equity Bank Uganda planting a tree during the launch of the Equi Green Schools Programme at Nakanyonyi SS.
Schools can also serve as long-term custodians of the trees planted on their compounds and surrounding communities.
This creates an opportunity for environmental education to move beyond classrooms and become a practical activity in which learners participate directly.
This makes post-planting care, monitoring and community ownership critical components of the campaign.
Watering, protection from damage, replacement of seedlings that do not survive, and regular monitoring can help transform the initiative from a tree-planting campaign into a long-term restoration programme.
Sustainability beyond planting
The Equity Bank and My Tree Initiative come at a time when environmental sustainability is becoming increasingly important to Uganda's development agenda.
Rapid population growth, urbanisation, agricultural expansion and pressure on natural resources have increased the need for approaches that balance economic development with environmental protection.
For schools, the programme can also create opportunities for learners to understand the connection between trees, food production, water conservation, climate and livelihoods.
The campaign therefore has the potential to become more than an environmental activity. It can serve as a platform for building sustainability awareness and encouraging young people to become active participants in environmental stewardship.