Climate Action in Education: Planting 10,000 Trees

Warm greetings from a rainy yet blooming Kisumu! 

Your support continues to nourish not just our gardens, but also empower young minds learning to care for them. With each donation, we come a step closer to our goal of creating a greener Kisumu through community-driven climate education. In our last report, we shared how this goal came to life through our school garden at Central Primary School, read here: Seeds of Change: Central Primary's Garden Update.  In this report, we are excited to share more updates from our RKF garden as we kick off our Climate Action Workshops.

Climate Education in Bloom at Alendu & Korwana

Our Climate Action Workshops have officially kicked off with the enthusiastic participation of students from Alendu and Korwana Primary Schools.

Planning for these begins at the school level through direct visits where we engage students, confirm schedules, mobilise participants into manageable groups, and build excitement around what’s to come.

We started with Year 7 students, whose academic schedules are more flexible than those of the candidate classes. This allows us the space and time not only to educate but also to track their progress and growth. These students are also at the perfect age to be mentored as future Climate Champions, young leaders who will go on to educate, inspire, and mobilise their peers.

Since our first week, interest in the workshops has grown steadily, starting with 30 students per day and rising to 35 in the following weeks. This enthusiasm stems from students going back and sharing their workshop experiences with friends and classmates. Each session lasts two and a half hours and is a powerful blend of theory and practice — held in the calm and natural learning space of RKF’s mini botanical garden.

In these sessions, learning comes alive. Students are surrounded by the blooming colours of flowers and trees, upcycled tyres turned into planters, plastic containers, and conical gardening bags brimming with fresh produce. They don’t just learn about sustainability, they see and touch it.

Our goal is to show them that climate action doesn’t have to be complex. It’s not about grand gestures — it’s about simple, intentional actions rooted in care. The power to preserve and nurture the environment exists in each of us, and it begins with small steps right where we are.

This mindset is evident in the reflections students share. Once their curiosity is sparked, their insights reveal just how instinctive this connection to nature is. Most of the participants come from Nyamware, a community near Lake Victoria, a place where environmental changes are already deeply felt. Many of the students spoke of taking part in beach clean-ups and expressed pride in keeping their environment clean.

When we introduced the idea of a climate champion, many immediately pointed to their parents — farmers who plant trees, grow food, and protect their land. These stories are proof that climate stewardship is already woven into their everyday lives.

At the end of each session, students took home a spider plant seedling, a quiet reminder that even small acts, like tending to a plant, can be part of something bigger.

So far, we’ve hosted six workshops reaching 84 students, many of whom are now actively encouraging their peers to join! We're excited to continue growing this number in the coming weeks.

A Garden in Full Bloom: RKF’s Growing Space

In celebration of International Day of Plant Health, we replanted a variety of herbs and vegetables in the RKF kitchen garden. Our vegetable patch is not just a learning space — it’s an essential part of our garden that, over the years, has provided us with organic, fresh produce including greens, vegetables, herbs, and fruits. These are enjoyed by our team and our beneficiaries as well.

Thanks to the recent rains in Kisumu, the rest of our garden is also thriving. Flowers are in full bloom, and the vibrant colors now bursting across the space are truly a treat to the eye, making the garden feel more alive than ever.

As nature renews itself, so does our belief that small acts like planting a seed or sharing a lesson can spark a lasting change.

Empower Kisumu’s Young-Minds with Climate Education

A donation of just $250 brings to life climate action workshops to 50 students, turning lessons into climate leadership.

Your donation is more than support — it’s an investment in a greener, more resilient future, powered by informed, empowered young changemakers ready to lead the way in environmental stewardship and community resilience.

Links:

• Support the Local Students of Kisumu with Climate Education
• Read our latest report from our Main Project!
• Follow our Socials for More

Heartful greetings and rooted gratitude!

Three years ago, our Climate Action Workshops at Central Primary planted the seeds of change. In October 2024, we celebrated Mazingira Day by bringing that vision to life—a vibrant school garden!

Mazingira Day was a whirlwind of action and teamwork. Under the blazing sun, students and Team RKF eagerly planted flowers, vegetables, and grass. Laughter filled the air as they dug, watered, and raced to complete tasks. By day’s end, exhaustion set in, but so did the deep satisfaction of watching a new garden take root. Read our detailed report:  Blooming Beginning: Central Primary School Garden

Now that our plants have taken root, we’re excited to share updates from the school garden and heartfelt stories from the students who’ve been a part of this growing journey.

Growing with the Garden: Stories from Climate Champs 

As the garden took root, so did the personal connections. For students like Adalla and Elizabeth, the garden is more than plants—it's a classroom and a solution. Their experiences, rooted in the hands-on activities of the garden, reflect the deeper learning that took place not only during the climate action workshops or Mazingira Day but in the ongoing care and stewardship of the garden.

Adalla, a Mazigira Club Patron, shared how the climate action workshops at the RKF Garden shaped his understanding of climate change, particularly deforestation's role in damaging the environment. Now, he sees how their school garden is a part of the solution. He is especially fond of the vegetable garden, where kale and spinach thrive. "We water it every morning and evening before going home," he said, proudly taking on the responsibility of maintaining it. The garden isn't just about upkeep; it's a valuable resource for learning. He often visits the garden for school assignments, identifying flowers and documenting their characteristics. For him, nurturing flowers is more than just an act of care; it's a lesson in growth, recognising how the flowers if correctly tended, could generate income for families.

Elizabeth, another student, has also embraced the lessons the garden offers. She views a garden as where plants, crops, and flowers come to life. "We take care of the school garden by watering it, removing unwanted weeds and mulching when required,” she explained. For her, the flower garden holds special appeal, not only for its beauty but also for its pleasant fragrance. Through this hands-on gardening experience, Elizabeth has learned that flowers aren’t just for home gardens—they can be used to improve the school environment. Reflecting on the workshops, she now has a deeper appreciation for grass, recognising its essential role in preventing soil erosion and supporting the garden's overall health.

School Garden Update

The true stars of our garden have undoubtedly been the vegetables, kale-ing it, one leaf at a time. With just a bit of watering, weeding, and tender care, students and teachers have been enjoying the fruits of their labour. Fresh, hearty produce like kale, cabbage, spinach, amaranthus, coriander, and spring onions have been a welcome addition to the school’s meals. While the prolonged dry spell and limited water access have slowed some of the blooms in our garden, the shrubs like the spider plant and inch plant in the circular flower beds are flourishing. Now that the rainy season has arrived, we’re hopeful that more flowers will soon bloom, adding vibrant hues to brighten the garden further.

Support The Growth of The School Garden

We want to sustain and celebrate the garden while inspiring students like Adalla and Elizabeth to see gardening as a solution. A monthly donation of USD $100 or Kshs.12,500/- will help us support Central Primary’s School Garden with essential tools & trainings for students, ensuring these young learners continue to play an active role in creating a sustainable future.

Links:

• Let's Build More School Gardens
• Read our latest report from our Main Project!
• Follow our Socials for more updates