Equity Bank champions youth-led climate action with 1,000-tree school campaign

October 10, 2025 in Companies, Land & Agriculture by Editor

The usually quiet compound of St Julian Secondary School in Wakiso burst into colour and excitement on Monday as Equity Bank Uganda launched a 1,000-tree planting campaign aimed at promoting environmental conservation and student-led climate action.

The initiative, part of the bank’s nationwide environmental restoration programme, reinforces its Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) strategy — a framework that integrates sustainability into all its business operations. The project brought together Equity Bank, the Agriculture for Health and Wealth Company Limited, and local education stakeholders in a multi-sector partnership focused on environmental stewardship and youth empowerment.

Equity Bank Managing Director Mr. Gift Shoko, who led the exercise, said the campaign reflects the bank’s long-term vision of responsible banking that goes beyond financial services. “We are doing this so that everyone—teachers, students, and the community—is involved in protecting the environment and the future. As a bank, we are providing the trees and necessary technical support, while the school offers the land,” he said.

Under the partnership, Agriculture for Health and Wealth Company Limited supplied the seedlings — a mix of fruit and indigenous trees — financed by Equity Bank. The company’s representative, Mr. Joseph Kafuuma, said the selection was intentional. “We began with trees that provide both shade and fruit because they are less likely to be cut down. As they mature, we will introduce indigenous species that offer greater soil stability and long-term ecological benefits,” he explained.

St Julian’s 7,000 students each planted a tree, naming it after themselves as part of a plan to instil personal responsibility. The school’s Director, Mr. Jeff Serujongi, said the gesture was designed to create a sense of legacy and continuity. “When a student leaves, they pass their tree on to another learner. It’s a symbol of ownership and care,” he noted.

The school’s Environmental Club, formed five months ago, will monitor the project with support from the bank’s sustainability team. The club has already designated a green learning area where students can study plant species, practise conservation, and exchange knowledge.

For Divine Kobusigye, the school’s Senior Five mobiliser who helped coordinate the event, the launch was more than ceremonial. “It’s a monumental day for our school — a day we took real action to protect the planet,” she said.