The government in Kenya made November 13 a holiday to encourage citizens to grow 100 million trees across the country.
In Nairobi, the capital of Kenya, hundreds of officials, students and families did not let heavy rain stop them from planting seedlings.
President William Ruto has promised to plant 15 billion trees by 2032 to improve Kenya’s forest cover.
“This is a powerful and necessary initiative for the planet especially after experiencing a dramatic drought in Kenya for several consecutive seasons,” said Joan Kirika, an official.
“I hope we keep celebrating this day ... a yearly reminder to care about the environment.”
Since 2020, the Horn of Africa region – which includes Kenya – has been ravaged by its worst drought in 40 years. Scientists found this devastating drought would not have happened without human-caused climate change. Trees help fight climate change by absorbing greenhouse gas.
