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For Alice Wanjiru, a 10-year-old girl from Ruiru in Kiambu county, inspiring the current generation to be more climate conscious and environmentally responsible has been her daily obligation.

Following the footsteps of conservationist and human rights activists Wangari Maathai, Wanjiru has been leaving nothing to chance to green various parts of the country while encouraging fellow children to do the same.

So far, Wanjiru has, at her age, planted 5,000 trees which she believes will go a long way in combating harsh climate changes such as perennial flooding, soil erosion, global warming among other environmental consequences of poor conservational activities.

Wanjiru who is a scout has created a forest for herself which she routinely nurtures with a hope to attract adequate rains, create shades and hold runoff water.

With the help of over one million fellow scouts, KDF officers and other players, Wanjiru who has several tree seedling nurseries hopes to plant one million trees by the end of the year to create a better planet.

“In my forest, I have planted 5,000 trees and I look forward to planting at least one million trees before the end of the year. I’ll be seeking the help of fellow scouts and KDF officers in my drive to better the world,” said Wanjiru.

To advance her push for a better world, Wanjiru, through her Green Hummingbird Movement, an organisation she started in 2020 to engage in various activities that contribute to the conservation of the environment further hopes to enter the World Guinness Book of records by planting one million trees in under five minutes.

According to Abdalla Ibrahim, the Kenya Scouts Association assistant chief commissioner in charge of programs, climate changes have hampered activities across the globe and all Kenyans are individually responsible to restore sanity by undertaking serious plantation and nurturing of trees.

“Wanjiru is an example to many and as scouts, we have pledged to continue supporting others like her to undertake the noble course of bettering our environment by planting as many trees as possible,” said Ibrahim.

Green Hummingbird Movement

Speaking during a tree planting exercise near Ruai area which witnessed serious soil erosion during the heavy March-May rains, Nancy Muiruri, a volunteer at Green Hummingbird Movement said the Wanjiru’s passion should be emulated by all for the country to achieve its 15 billion trees by 2030 as stipulated by the government.

Muiruri called on Kenyans not to engage in a one-off tree planting exercise and instead make it a culture to better the future of the current and to-come generations.

Elsewhere, Moses Muya, the chairperson in charge of Hearts of Green, a local non-governmental organisation that has been conserving the environment through adoption of tree planting and nurturing exercise by students in schools and institutions of higher learning stated that trees and woods play a vital role in reducing flooding by slowing down the flow of rainwater, absorbing rainwater and reducing erosion.

Speaking after planting 10,000 trees in various parts of the country, Muya called on Kenyans to live up to the call to plant and nurture trees to lessen effects of global warming for better health and agricultural production.

“We do not need to be told or reminded to plant and nurture trees. Let this be the Kenyan culture so that we realise the dream of a better environment for good health, increased agricultural production and ultimately wealth creation,” said Muya.