What do we know about this holiday?
Kenya's government announced a public holiday on 13th November 2023. The purpose of this holiday was to plant trees as part of their plan to plant 15 billion trees by 2032. The holiday was also created to encourage citizens to plant trees to help fight climate change.
Kenya is known for its awesome wildlife and forests, but many of the forests were cut down for wood and to make farming space. Right now, only 7% of Kenya is covered with trees. President William Ruto believes that planting 15 billion trees by 2032 will help cover 30% of Kenya's land with trees.
What happened on that day?
Kenyans were asked to plant seedlings in certain public areas. The government gave out free seedlings from public nurseries. People were also asked to buy at least two seedlings (other than those given for free) and plant them on their own land.
All over the country, more than 150 million tiny trees were planted. The government wants to plant many more trees before the short rainy season ends in December. An app was also launched to track tree-planting efforts in Kenya.
What app was launched to track tree-planting efforts?
The government created an app called Jaza Miti, which means "fill with trees" in Swahili. People can use the app to collect seedlings, find nurseries, locate suitable planting locations, and report their activities. Many people used the app on tree-planting day. The app will help the government track how many trees are planted all over the country.
Every four months, the app's information will be checked. Those who plant a lot of trees might receive medals and certificates for their efforts. Many people were happy about the holiday and wished it would happen yearly.
What do you think about Kenya’s tree-planting holiday? Tell us in the comments.
