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Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Electricity distributor Umeme has spread its national environmental initiative to Mityana with a tree-planting exercise.
Edward Ssebukyu, Commissioner for private schools and institutions in the Ministry of Education, on Friday officiated at the Umeme’s tree planting exercise at Kyankowe Primary School. The fruit and eucalyptus tree project at the Mityana-based school was conducted in conjunction with the Uganda Timber Growers Association.
The school offered up to 5.5 acres of land for the project to promote pupils’ interest and involvement in conserving their environment.
The commissioner also launched Umeme’s Safety Club at the school in commemoration of the World Day for Safety and Health at Work.
The safety club is Umeme’s proactive measure to ensure that the school embraces environmental conservation and treats electricity safety with top priority.
“Management of our forests should be supported by the best possible information. What Umeme is doing today is a significant contribution to the knowledge required for informed environmental management decisions. It is therefore my privilege to be part of this initiative, which is supplementing Government’s efforts in environmental conservation,” Ssebukyu said.
Selestino Babungi, the Umeme Managing Director, explained that the U-Green initiative was the company’s long-term CSR drive, launched in 2016 to implement tree planting activities as an avenue for mitigating the impact of climate change on the environment. The initiative is also intended to inspire community action on environmental conservation.
“Umeme believes that supporting the school to achieve this objective will cultivate a culture of environmental conservation and in the long run, inspire children, teachers and parents to effect positive change in their communities,” said Babungi.
Through this initiative, Umeme collaborates with NGOs and schools to implement tree planting projects around the country. The activities are performed by members of staff from different departments. Umeme is the largest electricity distribution company in Uganda while Uganda Timber Growers Association (UTGA) was founded in 2006 to bring together private tree growers for collective action in terms of lobbying and advocacy.
