The Britam Foundation, focused on enriching lives in Africa, has entered a five-year strategic partnership with the Jumbo Charge to finance and implement a large-scale reforestation project in the vital Mt. Elgon Water Tower.

The initial phase of the initiative, backed by a KES 10 million investment from Britam, will involve planting 200,000 trees across 444 hectares of degraded forest land, aiming to bolster climate resilience and support local communities with a first-hand impact.

This collaboration directly supports Kenya’s National Tree Growing and Restoration Strategy, which aims to plant 15 billion trees by 2032, and aligns with the global UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration.

The project is a key component of Britam Foundation’s Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) strategy and contributes to its bold pledge to plant 60 million trees across Africa by 2030. For Britam, this stride is more than a corporate social responsibility move, as it envisions a greater impact on the community.

This initiative falls under one of the Foundation’s four pillars, which focuses on the environment, marking a strategic venture into conservation with restoration plans that involve diverse stakeholders.

A Focus on Ecosystem Restoration and Community Impact

The choice of Mt. Elgon is strategic due to its recognition as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. However, the mountain’s ecosystem is critically degraded, with forest cover currently below 5%, far less than the country’s 10% target.

“Restoring the Mt. Elgon Water Tower is not just about planting trees; it’s about investing in the long-term health of our environment, enhancing climate resilience, and empowering local communities,” remarked Catherine Karita, Director of Britam Foundation.

These statistics are not only worrying but also signal an urgent need for action, considering the ecosystem’s vital role as the source of 40 to 50 tributaries that feed rivers flowing into Lake Victoria and Lake Turkana, influencing weather patterns and the well-being of nearly two million people across the region.

Ms Karita emphasized that by restoring the forest, Britam Foundation aims to create more predictable water patterns, which in turn will enable local farmers to cultivate their land more successfully, and the availability of fresh, clean water for the community, thereby changing lives.

A central pillar of the project is its community-driven approach. The Jumbo Charge, which has been operating in Mt. Elgon for a decade, is set to manage the on-the-ground implementation in collaboration with the Kenya Forest Service (KFS).

Mr. Charles Mulupi, Chairman of Jumbo Charge, pointed out that their approach is deeply rooted in community empowerment. “We don’t just plant trees; we grow them.”

“By working hand-in-hand with local communities, we will not only restore the forest but also build a powerful sense of environmental stewardship from the ground up,” he added.

A Model for Sustainable Reforestation

The project strategically ensures sustainability through direct community involvement. This engagement will include procuring seedlings from local nurseries and employing community members in planting, maintenance, and monitoring, emulating a model that has previously achieved tree survival rates of nearly 90%.

To foster lasting engagement, Jumbo Charge also plans to leverage unique platforms like sports tournaments and marathons to unite the community in collective action.

“Sport has a unique way of bringing people together, devoid of political or other affiliations,” Michael Malomba, Director of Corporate Affairs, Jumbo Charge explained.

“These events not only rally people around the cause but also inject significant funds, sometimes KES 3-4 million per event, directly into the local economy.”

The reforestation effort will focus primarily on indigenous tree species to restore the natural ecosystem, with supplementary planting of fruit trees in neighboring schools to provide additional benefits for local communities.

Holistic Benefits: From Carbon to Cancer Screening

A significant aspect of the partnership is that Britam Foundation will be able to claim carbon credits from the restored area. This move is still under discussion with the KFS regarding the carbon rights generated from the newly planted trees.

This aligns with a growing corporate trend of investing in environmental projects that yield tangible ESG assets.

“The foundation will retain the carbon credits, and we are in discussions with the Kenya Forest Service regarding the broader framework for ownership and use of these environmental assets,” Karita clarified, indicating that the initial focus is on the environmental impact rather than trading the credits.

Beyond conservation, the partnership incorporates community health initiatives. In collaboration with advisors from the Ministry of Health, future events will include health screenings.

“We aim to enhance screening for the most common cancers, such as cervical, breast, and prostate,” said Fred Owino, a health advisor on the project representing the Ministry of Health from the National Cancer Institute of Kenya.

“When communities gather for these events, it provides a perfect platform to promote public health,” he added.

The initial restoration activities will target the Cheptais, Kaberwa, Kiptogot, and Kitale Township Forest blocks, with plans to expand to other areas in subsequent years.

Both organizations will establish a joint monitoring framework to track the project’s progress and measure its impact effectively, ensuring accountability and long-term success.