Kenya's small ideas that could turn into sustainable realities

I write this week’s Green Message column with immense joy and profound gratitude, still glowing from the honour of receiving prestigious awards at the Warriors for Good Awards held this past Friday evening, beautifully organised by Relinked Group.

This special event highlights extraordinary leaders, innovators and organisations passionately dedicated to sustainability, climate action and social impact. It celebrates inspiring initiatives that uplift communities, drive sustainable practices, and encourage a regenerative future.

Witnessing various lesser-known yet incredibly impactful organisations present innovative tech solutions in health services, payment systems and other vital sectors was heartwarming. Organisations such as Community Sustainable Agriculture and The Healthy Environmental Program (CSHEP), Micro Enterprises Support Trust, United Women Empowerment Programme, Family Group, The Kenya Red Cross, and prominent corporations were celebrated for their innovations.

Haller Park, owned by Bamburi Cement and renowned for its remarkable environmental conservation efforts, was also honoured. Haco Industries received special recognition for significantly enhancing employability and job creation. Our Green Africa Foundation received the Environmental Action Award, recognising our impactful Green Africa Village initiative, transforming lives far beyond Kenya’s borders.

To my humble surprise and heartfelt gratitude, I received the Sustainability Champion Award, reaffirming our shared commitment to sustainable growth and innovation.

As I stepped away from the podium, filled with inspiration, the immense potential of positivity resonated deeply with me. It became clear that supporting even the smallest ideas can transform entire communities and our nation. This is the tremendous power of positivity that filled me when former President Kibaki launched the then little-known ‘Plant Your Age’ initiative on April 30, 2012, in Kitui, which has led to tangible planting and growing of 908 million trees today.

First, consider the challenge of youth unemployment, which currently stands at nearly 40 per cent according to the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics. Every entrepreneurial idea we nurture has the potential to change lives. Look at M-PESA, which began as a modest mobile money concept. As of 2024, M-PESA supports over 34 million subscribers and has facilitated approximately 17 billion transactions worth Sh20.85 trillion in just six months, significantly boosting merchant payments through Lipa Na M-PESA to Sh972.6 billion from over 1.4 billion transactions. Imagine replicating such success by supporting innovative ventures across Kenya.

Secondly, environmental degradation is another urgent challenge. Kenya aims to plant 15 billion trees by 2032, a goal that can be achieved with innovative approaches, which I will now outline. Imagine if we incentivised every Kenyan to plant just one tree per month based on their age. In seven years, this could yield around 8 billion trees. Initiatives like ‘Plant Your Age’ connect personal milestones to environmental stewardship, transforming ambition into achievement. Corporate Kenya has a vital role to play as well. With about 20 million employed Kenyans, if each employee planted trees equivalent to their age annually, an additional 2.8 billion trees could grow within seven years.

Kenya’s reported vast mobile connectivity, featuring over 65 million active subscriptions, can support this vision. An “Airtime for Trees” initiative, which encourages subscribers to plant two trees yearly, could effortlessly add nearly one billion more trees within seven years.

Now, imagine if every phone owner caused the planting of one tree per month for airtime - this alone could result in an astonishing 5.46 billion additional trees over seven years! Don’t we have our 15 billion trees? The Kenya Forest Service then seamlessly collaborate with communities and corporations alike because we all become passionate tree huggers.

Finally, let’s tackle Kenya’s silent epidemic: mental health. Imagine a ‘Mental Wellness Wallet’ integrated into Kenya’s mobile money platforms. This solution could provide immediate access to professional counseling. Supported by small, regular contributions from individuals and businesses, this initiative could make mental wellness an everyday resource.

These prestigious awards inspire each Kenyan to advocate positivity, cooperation and practical solutions, turning dreams into enduring, sustainable realities. Think Green, Act Green!