Britam Foundation and Jumbo Charge Trust have partnered in a five-year strategic initiative to reforest the critical Mt. Elgon Water Tower. The project’s initial phase will focus on planting 200,000 trees across 444 hectares of degraded forest land to enhance climate resilience and empower local communities.
This collaboration is a key component of the Britam Foundation’s Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) strategy and directly supports Kenya’s National Tree Growing and Restoration Strategy. The project is designed to not only improve climate and public health but also to restore a vital ecosystem that provides water to three counties and feeds into Lake Turkana and Lake Victoria.
“Restoring the Mt. Elgon Water Tower is not just about planting trees, it’s about investing in the long-term health of our environment and empowering local communities,” said Catherine Karita, Director of the Britam Foundation. “By restoring the forest, we aim to create more predictable water patterns, which in turn enables local farmers to cultivate their land more successfully, thereby changing lives.”
The project’s success is deeply rooted in its community-driven approach. The initiative will create employment opportunities and boost the local economy by procuring seedlings directly from community suppliers. Beyond tree planting, the partnership will also provide local communities with programs in financial literacy and conservation education.
“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,” said Charles Mulupi, Chairman of Jumbo Charge Trust. “We buy seedlings directly from local people and support their livelihoods through other initiatives like beekeeping and ecotourism.”
Under the terms of the agreement, the Jumbo Charge Trust will manage the on-the-ground implementation, leveraging its expertise and collaboration with the Kenya Forest Service (KFS). The trust will oversee the entire process, from sourcing and planting to monitoring, to ensure high survival rates for the trees. The initial restoration activities will target the Cheptais, Kaberwa, Kiptogot, and Kitale Township Forest blocks, with plans for future expansion.
A significant aspect of the deal is that Britam Foundation will retain full ownership of all environmental benefits, including the carbon rights, generated from the newly planted trees. This aligns with a growing corporate trend of investing in projects that can yield tangible ESG assets. The partnership also contributes to Britam’s broader pledge to plant 60 million trees across Africa by 2030, a commitment made to mark its 60th anniversary.