Schools’
Green Initiative Challenge
Expansion Project
About
Phase I - Pilot Project
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he Green Initiative Challenge (GIC) Pilot project was launched in October 2013, with 81 schools in the 7- Forks area with the aim of addressing massive deforestation in the semi-arid areas of Machakos and Embu Counties through a rural schools-led initiative. The project aims at promoting environmental awareness through participation of students and the wider school community. It involves planting tree seedlings and nurturing them to develop woodlots at their institutions for environmental and commercial benefits.
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he Green Initiative Challenge (GIC) is a KenGen Foundation programme designed to encourage and enable schools to participate in environment activities by developing small forests and woodlots within their compounds for multiple benefits.
It is the flagship of the Foundation’s Environment pillar, the other two being Education, and Water and Sanitation. Through the GIC programme, KenGen Foundation and partners work together with schools around the 7-Forks power stations to raise environmental awareness and create an involvement of schools and students in improving their environment through a participatory and rewarding initiative.
Participating schools received multi-purpose Cassia siamea (Muveshi) and Melia volkensii (Mukau) tree seedlings for their 0.5acre school plots. Cassia siamea, a fast growing tree that provides almost immediate benefits through coppicing provides wood while Melia volkensii gives highly commercially valuable timber. The project is designed as a challenge to participating schools, mainly due to the dry weather conditions in the areas. Prizes are awarded based on the highest survival rate of seedlings and use of innovation
Monitoring & Evaluation
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he schools’ woodlots were monitored quarterly by a team of judges from KenGen Foundation and other stakeholders. The final evaluation was done after two years and was based on the seedlings’ growth rate (numbers and size), effort, innovativeness, and creativity with the following outcomes: • Average survival rate for both tree species was 56%. • Average survival rates by tree species: • Melia volkensii - 61% • Cassia siamea - 50%
Achievements and Lessons Learned 150 tree seedlings of Cassia siamea and 150 of Melia volkensii were distributed to each school and planted on average 0.5 acres of school land, with the total number being 24,584 after replacing the dead or damaged with an additional 2,192.
The schools also show cased impressive innovative techniques such as: • Fencing woodlot plots • Use of Drip Irrigation • Strong teamwork & ownership where individuals (teachers and students) are assigned seedlings • Application of manure • Intercropping • Digging trenches & sub-catchments to capture rainwater. • Mulching
Innovations to enhance the survival of the seedlings were inevitable in achievement of an excellent survival rate. It is actually noted that the last schools that performed poorly did not show any innovative initiatives to enhance the survival of seedlings.
On the contrary best performing schools showed combined innovative techniques ranging from water c o n s e r v a t i o n techniques to soil conservation techniques. These Schools showed absolute commitment in their woodlot management and performed excellently
Phase II - Expansion
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s a result of the pilot’s success, KenGen Foundation has partnered with Better Globe Limited and Bamburi Cement Limited to upscale the pilot to a 10 year project that integrates an additional 919 schools from Embu, Machakos and Kitui counties. The project will be implemented in 2 year phases in the Phase II of the GIC project. The expansion targets the greening of a total 460 acres with 324,300 tree seedlings as well as 113,956 fruit seedlings (passion and pawpaw) in approximately 460acres. The programme includes 4-8 capacity building sessions per year for all participating schools and 2 Monitoring and Evaluation sessions per year. Participating schools will also benefit in free Rain water Harvesting and Storage Training sessions for schools and community members.
Bruno Pescheux CEO Bamburi ltd, Albert Mugo MD KenGen and Chairman of the KenGen Foundation, Jean-Paul Deprins MD Better Globe Forestry during the signing of the GiC expansion MoU 24July2015
Objectives The objectives of the expansion of the Green Initiative Challenge are: • Boost awareness and participation of school children in environmental conservation via sustainable management of woodlots; • Provide schools with renewable source of wood fuel thereby reducing pressure on surrounding forest resources; • Diversification of income through sale of timber & non-timber products as well as fruits. • Contribute to reduction of green-house gases through carbon sequestration by growing woodlots; • Control soil erosion by increasing topsoil infiltration & reducing runoff; • Through this project, community members are encouraged to establish ‘household woodlots’ and trained on sustainable rain water harvesting and storage techniques.
Tree seedlings at one of the GIC woodlots.
Location
Monitoring & Evaluation
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he 7-Forks power stations are located at the lower Tana River area in an arid and semi-arid area within Masinga, Mbeere South and Kitui Districts. The region suffers from acute water scarcity due to erratic rainfalls averaging only 750ml annually. The water evaporates almost immediately, leaving the shallow and rocky soils saline and making it difficult for plant roots to develop.
Embu
Kitui
Communities living within the area also practice pastrolism. Over grazing, together with poor tree planting activities, are major concerns for the sustainable management of the environment within the 7-Forks area.
Machakos
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onitoring and Evaluation of the Green Initiative Challenge Expansion Project will be carried out twice a year by the partners’ Monitoring and Evaluation teams.
GIC implementation area within three counties
About Our Partners
Bamburi Cement Limited
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amburi Cement Ltd is a cement manufacturer and a re-known corporate conservationist. It is part of the French Lafarge Group of companies that specialize in building materials (cement, construction aggregates, and concrete.
Better Globe Forestry Limited
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etter Globe Forestry Ltd is a private afforestation company that is part of the Norwegian ‘Better Globe Group’. The company focuses on poverty reduction through massive tree-planting and sustainable agricultural programs, microfinance schemes, educational programs and water supply for rural communities. It also publishes Miti, The Tree Business Magazine for Africa.
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Better Globe Forestry Ltd has committed to support the Green Initiative Challenge expansion project through: Provision of Melia Volkensii tree seedlings Monitoring and Evaluation Equipment and activities Capacity Building Activities Miti and Bingwa magazines subscription for participating schools
Bamburi Cement Ltd is entering the GIC Expansion Project with KenGen Foundation that will bring a total in-kind and monetary contribution that will go to: • Provision of full secondary education scholarships for 8 best performing students from the participating schools; • Provision of infrastructure, construction, or rehabilitation grants for 20 schools in total; • Environmental Education trips and sessions for 8 best performing schools.
The KenGen Foundation
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ince its formal establishment in 1997, KenGen has been involved in Corporate Social Responsibility activities, specifically targeting communities living in areas neighbouring its installations. This corporate effort has been driven by KenGen’s commitment to being a responsible corporate citizen and its belief in adding value to the livelihoods of targeted communities by establishing relationships and implementing sustainable community projects. The effort has also been encouraged by the company’s realization that it cannot operate in isolation from the environment around it. This environment includes among others communities, natural resources, stakeholders and development partners. KenGen established a Foundation in 2012 to serve as the vehicle for up-scaling its Corporate Social Investment (CSI) programs. The KenGen Foundation is run by a Managing Trustee and is governed by a Board of Trustees. KenGen is fully committed to long-term environmentally sustainable development that is consistent with national and international standards in the generation of reliable, safe, quality and competitively priced electric energy in the Eastern Africa region. The KenGen Foundation supports the Company is in realization of these goals.
Project partners: Support partners:
KenGenFoundation
KenGen Foundation • Tel: +254 20 366 6709 • 0711 036 450 • 0711 036 709 info@kengenfoundation.co.ke • www.kengenfoundation.co.ke
KenGen_Foundatn