Trees for Cities’ delivery partner, COSDEP, delivered a fantastic community engagement event in Kiambu, Kenya, where they have been implementing organic gardening projects with local schools as part of this year’s partnership. Thank you to Antony Kowiti from COSDEP for writing this guest blog post.

The campaign event hosted by COSDEP at Gacii Primary School on 11th February 2022 was aimed at creating environmental awareness among the surrounding community. In particular, the aim was to engage the local schools involved in the organic gardening projects; Gacii Primary School, White Cottage Primary School, and St. Angelas Girls High school.

The pupils from the participating schools and the local community were inspired by the procession, and commented positively about environmental conservation through tree planting. In attendance were the grade four pupils from Gacii Primary School, grade four pupils from White Cottage Primary School, and form three Agriculture students from St. Angelas Girls High school. We were also pleased to host fifty parents of pupils involved in the project, the Head Teacher and Deputy Head Teacher from Gacci Primary School, the local church leader, and other community members.

The procession was accompanied with distribution of fruit trees, including grafted mangoes, pawpaw, tree tomatoes, grafted oranges, grafted avocado, and passion fruit to parents, teachers, and special guests. The school campaign was marked by planting ten ceremonial fruit trees at Gacii Primary School, as well as pupil performances of environmental songs, poems and presentations.

COSDEP’s director, staff and stakeholders are very grateful to Trees for Cities for this year’s partnership. Through the support, a positive impact has been created to the young pupils and community members at large.

We would like to thank our generous funders for making this year's International Programme possible, The Lund Trust, a charitable fund of Lisbet Rausing and Peter Baldwin, and Savills Investment Management.