Rwanda is not among countries noted for high emissions of greenhouse gases, but air pollution still causes some problems, both for public health as well as for the cost of health care. It has been associated with diseases like bronchitis, asthma, and other respiratory conditions.
According to Masembe, the campaign will be rolled out countrywide with the aim of planting more than one million trees in one year.
He added that it is not the number of trees planted that motivates him, but the prospect of children growing up with the knowledge that they can contribute to making the planet better for themselves and for the next generation.
“The most important thing is not planting a tree; it is planting the green spirit,” he said.
“A child’s mind is like wet cement; every time you write on it is permanent,” he added.
He hopes the children and their parents will be encouraged to plant a tree at home.
“You are now part of the wider family that loves the environment and is ready to take care of it,” Masembe told the children as they were receiving their certificates.
“When you go back to your schools, to your homes, to visit your aunt, uncle or grandmother, tell them that you want to plant a tree,” he added.
The children were invited to come back regularly to check on the trees they had planted.
Originally posted on THE EAST AFRICAN
