On November 19, 2020, the Centre for Character and Leadership (CCL) celebrated the World Toilet Day by planting 1000 indigenous tree seedlings in partnership with Ruai Boys Secondary School, Highway Manyatta Secondary School and KBC Malaa Police station. The tree seedlings were donated by the Kenya Forest Service. The World Toilet Day celebrates toilets and raises awareness of the 4.2 billion people living without access to safely managed sanitation. The World Toilet Day 2020 was celebrated under the theme ‘Sustainable Sanitation and Climate Change.” Globally, climate change is accelerating and its devastating effects are affecting humanity. In the real sense, things like drought, flood and rising sea levels are threatening the sanitation systems.CCL efforts and partnership in growing trees aims at promoting reforestation and support of the 10% forest cover hence mitigating the effects of climate change.

“Environment conservation is a responsibility of each individual. We should take responsibility of our environment by growing more trees,” said Japheth Ouda, Director, Environment and Service Program as he delivered the tree seedlings at Ruia Boys Secondary School.

The form four students together with the teachers being led by the school principal each planted a tree along the school fence.

“We are so grateful to our stakeholders. We will plant and take care of the trees,” said Mr. Thiong’o, School Principal.

Speaking during the tree planting, the CCL representatives encouraged the stakeholders on the need of scaling up ‘own a tree’ initiative – an environment best practice that challenges every citizen to take personal responsibility by planting a tree during his/her birthday. Students were encouraged to strive to nurture virtues such as hard work, determination, and generosity in their lives as they nurture and take care of the trees. The act of restoring the glory of our devastated ecosystem requires mutual collaboration and ownership. CCL will continue to champion collaborations in environment conservation through growing 10,000 trees.