Narok, Kenya – Amid the long school holiday, hundreds of girls from Narok West Sub County have been actively involved in a tree planting exercise aimed at not just combating climate change, but also empowering them with essential life skills. The initiative, known as ‘Tree for Girls,’ focuses on enabling these young girls to make meaningful contributions to their society.

According to a new release by Kenya News Agency, the organization pioneering the initiative, the program was launched at Nkoilale primary school by Agnes Ntutu, the wife of Narok Governor. Ntutu stated that these tree planting sessions would also serve as platforms for educating the girls on a variety of life skills including hygiene, health, career choices, and education. She urged parents to provide guidance and counseling to their daughters and warned that retrogressive cultural practices like Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and early marriages would lead to legal consequences.

Bishop Simon Simpai, who led the clergy at the event, encouraged the girls to be principled and to report any adult attempting to subject them to illegal traditions. He stressed the importance of tree planting as a countermeasure to climate change and called on churches to motivate their congregations to plant trees.

Leshan Kereto, the founder of Tarento Africa Club, emphasized the need for girls to engage in productive activities during the holiday season. He cautioned them against succumbing to peer pressure that could have a detrimental effect on their morals.

During the event, several girls were recognized and awarded for their notable contributions to society, which included tree planting and academic performance.