Citizen-led initiatives restore vital natural ecosystems and livelihoods

Decades ago, guava was a common fruit. Children plucked them from trees growing in thick vegetation, along roadsides and near rivers as they played.

Today, however, indigenous fruits such as guavas are becoming increasingly rare, as they are now found mainly in markets, something unimaginable years ago.

It is this gradual disappearance of indigenous fruit trees that has inspired an environmentalist in Bungoma County to champion efforts aimed at restoring Kenya’s traditional fruits.

For the past three years, 40-year-old Anthony Khisa has been moving from one school to another, spearheading the planting of indigenous fruit-bearing trees under the Adopt-a-Tree initiative.

His mission is to reverse decades of environmental degradation while preserving traditional knowledge associated with Kenya’s indigenous fruits and trees.

Khisa’s passion was sparked during an educational outreach visit to Khaoya Primary School in Bungoma County through Rotary programmes. At the time, he was serving as president of the Rotaract Club of Bungoma.

The school had very few trees, so Khisa mobilised teachers and proposed a tree-planting initiative focusing on indigenous fruit species.

He later expanded the programme to other schools across Bungoma, introducing fruit trees such as guavas, avocados, pawpaws, mfenesi, and both red and black varieties of wild berries.

Children project

Through the initiative, he establishes fruit tree nurseries and donates seedlings to schools. Learners are encouraged to choose their favourite fruit tree and take responsibility for nurturing it to maturity.

“Today, many of these fruits have become commodities that people must buy because they are no longer readily available in the wild,” he said.

He has taken the project to four schools, an initiative he says calms his soul as he watches learners pluck fruits from trees they have planted and nurtured.

Apart from contributing to environmental conservation, the fruits help improve learners’ nutrition by providing essential vitamins and minerals. As Kenya joins the rest of the world in commemorating World Environment Day, Khisa is among those being celebrated for embracing the Adopt-a-Tree, Adopt-a-River campaign.

The initiative seeks to accelerate conservation efforts aimed at increasing tree cover, restoring degraded ecosystems and keeping rivers clean.

It encourages individuals and communities to take personal responsibility for protecting natural resources amid growing concerns over climate change, deforestation, biodiversity loss and pollution.

Beyond mobilising schools to plant fruit trees, Khisa has partnered with local communities, the Kenya Forest Service and Rotary clubs across East Africa to establish nurseries containing more than 400 indigenous tree species.

Through partnerships and sponsorships secured via Rotary networks, he has also contributed to the rehabilitation of degraded landscapes in Mt Elgon and Suswa.

So far, he has planted more than 5,000 trees in forest ecosystems and hopes to eventually contribute to planting one million trees to enhance biodiversity and strengthen ecosystems that support surrounding communities. 

“We encourage communities to protect rivers, reduce soil erosion and coexist peacefully with wildlife, including elephants that depend on healthy forest ecosystems,” he said.

At his home, Khisa has planted more than 400 trees, creating a thriving green sanctuary. He attributes his love for trees to lessons learned from his grandmother, a passionate conservationist in her own right.

“My grandmother would quarrel with anyone who cut down a tree for firewood. She always encouraged us to plant and protect trees because they create a cooler, healthier environment.”

The Adopt-a-Tree and Adopt-a-River initiatives are supported by the National Environment Management Authority (Nema) and partners to accelerate conservation efforts aimed at increasing tree cover, restoring degraded ecosystems, and keeping rivers clean.

Nurturing to maturity

Kanani Wanjohi, NEMA official from Kirinyaga, noted that for a long time, Kenya has focused on tree planting but achieved limited results because trees are not nurtured to maturity.

Through the Adopt-a-Tree initiative, NEMA encourages communities to plant and nurture trees until maturity to boost forest cover.

“It is never just about planting trees, but whether we go back to water them and ensure they grow to maturity. That is what Adopt-a-Tree is about. You plant and monitor them until full growth,” said Wanjohi.

Nairobi Remand Home is among the institutions embracing the Adopt-a-Tree initiative.

Here, children aged seven and above are given fruit trees, including oranges and avocado, as well as banana suckers to plant.

Each child then takes care of the trees and bananas, watering them daily under an initiative supported by the Rotary Club of Nairobi Gigiri. 

Once the suckers mature, they are encouraged to propagate more, making the home greener and improving food production.

“Children plant trees and when they go home, they carry the skills of planting and caring for trees,” said Esther Gachagua, a past Assistant Rotary District Governor D9212.

“Environmental conservation needs to be nurtured from a young age. Children learn that fruit trees are grown for consumption and income.”

“If you take care of the environment, it will always take care of you,” said Gachagua, adding that the programme is also therapeutic for learners.

The initiative is also implemented in schools across the country, with Nanyuki standing out.

Under the Adopt-a-Tree initiative, pupils in PP1, PP2 and PP3 plant fruit trees in schools. Mothers are given fruit trees, while fathers receive commercial timber trees for income generation.

Cleaning Nairobi River

Elsewhere, local communities are rehabilitating a section of the River Nairobi in the Waruku area of Kangemi. Here, residents unknowingly settled on riparian land and polluted the river, which is a source of domestic water. As a solution, they are cleaning the river under the Adopt-a-River initiative led by the Rotary Club of Nairobi Gigiri.

“Initially, we used to buy water at Sh20 per 20-litre jerrican because the river we depended on was contaminated. But now we have taken responsibility, ensuring nobody dumps waste here, and whenever the river is dirty, we clean it,” said resident Monicah Kadenge. 

She said regular cleaning has improved the river’s flow and reduced waterborne diseases. “We used to suffer from diarrhoea and typhoid, but cases have now dropped,” she added.

Wanjohi emphasised that adopting a river improves water quality and helps restore riparian land. 

“Adopt-a-River improves biodiversity and restores riparian ecosystems. It also keeps rivers clean and reduces waterborne diseases,” said the Nema official.

She noted that poor waste management leads to pollution and blockage of drainage systems.

To implement the initiatives, Nema is working with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and other partners to educate communities on tree planting and river conservation. However, a major challenge is the lack of awareness and ownership of environmental protection.

“At times when it rains, we complain about poor drainage and dirty rivers, but do we understand that our own activities cause these impacts?” posed Wanjohi.

This year’s World Environment Day 2026, celebrated in Azerbaijan, UNEP is calling for stronger global action to protect the environment.

UNEP has partnered with Rotary International to reach local communities.

According to Rotary International, communities are the first to experience the effects of degraded waterways, but are also best placed to protect them.