Empowering Climate Champions: GPF Kenya Supports Wareng High School’s “Mbogi Green” Tree Nursery Launch

Wairimu Mwangi

July 28, 2025

A woman in uniform sits at a desk, writing on paper with a pencil. A nameplate reading

GPF Kenya works with partner to establish a tree nursery at Wareng High School.

In the face of escalating climate challenges, youth-led climate action has emerged as one of the most powerful forces driving meaningful environmental change. Young people are not only the most affected by the long-term impacts of climate change, but they also bring fresh ideas, energy, and a deep sense of urgency to the global sustainability agenda. Their involvement is crucial, not just for planting trees or reducing emissions, but for reshaping mindsets, influencing policies, and building resilient communities. When empowered and supported, youth become catalysts for innovation and stewardship, ensuring that climate solutions are not only effective today but also sustainable for generations to come.

In a powerful demonstration of youth-led climate action, Wareng High School in Eldoret City, in Uasin Gishu region of Kenya, on June 3, 2025, unveiled the “Mbogi Green ya Wareng” tree nursery, a major contribution to the country’s ambitious 15 Billion Tree Growing Campaign. The launch at Wareng High School, Kenya’s President William Ruto’s alma mater, was presided over by Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change & Forestry, Dr. Deborah Baraza, and brought together government officials, civil society leaders, and private sector partners, all united under one goal; to green Kenya through youth empowerment.

The tree nursery, designed to propagate 100,000 seedlings annually, aims to plant 500,000 trees over the next three years. The initiative focuses on fruit and indigenous trees, enhancing food security, biodiversity, and long-term environmental sustainability. During the launch, 10,000 trees were planted, an impactful start for the project and a symbolic gesture of the community’s commitment to the climate agenda.

A group of people observe Climate Champions from GPF Kenya in uniforms planting seedlings in a tree nursery during a tree-planting event.

GPF Kenya works with partner to establish a tree nursery at Wareng High School.

A key partner in this transformative project, Global Peace Foundation (GPF) Kenya, played a critical role in rallying youth and stakeholders around the vision of environmental stewardship as a tool for peace and development. GPF Africa Regional Representative Mr. Daniel Juma Omondi delivered a powerful message to the students, urging them to emulate President Ruto’s journey of leadership and service and view environmental care as a patriotic and moral responsibility.

GPF Kenya’s involvement in this initiative highlights the organization’s long-standing commitment to fostering youth leadership and community-driven development. By empowering students to take ownership of climate action, GPF Kenya is helping to build a generation that not only understands environmental challenges but actively contributes to solutions. With support from partners like the Chandaria Foundation, KCB Foundation, SMACHS Foundation, and Mama Doing Good, this effort aligns with Kenya’s Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA), showcasing how collective action can achieve both ecological and economic impact.

A woman uses a green shovel to plant a young tree from the tree nursery at Wareng High School, with several people from GPF Kenya and others in uniforms and casual attire standing nearby.

GPF Kenya works with partner to establish a tree nursery at Wareng High School.

As highlighted by Uasin Gishu Deputy Governor Evans Kapkea, the county’s record of planting over 28 million trees positions it as a national leader in climate response. The launch of the Mbogi Green tree nursery adds a fresh and hopeful chapter to this legacy.

For GPF Kenya, this initiative reflects more than just environmental action. It is about nurturing ethical leaders, strengthening communities, and advancing peace through shared responsibility.

Supporting tree planting not only restores landscapes but also fosters unity, purpose, and long-term resilience. Global Peace Foundation continues to champion such grassroots innovations that uplift lives, safeguard the planet, and build the foundation for lasting peace in Kenya and beyond.