Mpigi District, Uganda — Equity Bank Uganda has strengthened its environmental sustainability agenda through a major tree planting exercise in Mpigi District, held in partnership with My Tree Initiative at Kyasanku Hill College in Kasanje.
The exercise, conducted along the Kampala–Masaka Highway, saw Kyasanku Hill College allocate two acres of land for environmental restoration. Students, teachers, community leaders and partners participated in planting a mix of indigenous and fruit trees aimed at supporting long-term ecological recovery, food security and economic benefits.
The initiative forms part of Equity Bank Uganda’s sustainability strategy under the Africa Recovery and Resilience Plan (ARRP), which promotes environmental conservation as a key pillar for climate resilience and inclusive economic growth.
Speaking during the event, Virginia Ssemakula, Manager for Energy, Environment and Climate Change at Equity Bank Uganda, said environmental protection is central to the Bank’s mission.
She noted that sustainability is not only about present development but also about safeguarding resources for future generations, warning that climate change is already affecting communities through floods, droughts and other environmental shocks.
Ssemakula emphasized that financial institutions have a critical role in driving climate action by supporting investments that protect ecosystems and promote sustainable development.
She said Equity Bank Uganda is committed to financing and supporting initiatives that build a greener and more resilient economy.
The partnership with My Tree Initiative brings together efforts to restore Uganda’s declining forest cover while empowering young people to take an active role in environmental conservation.
Enjer Ashiraf, Executive Director of My Tree Initiative, said tree planting goes beyond environmental restoration, describing it as an investment in livelihoods and future generations.
He said partnerships with institutions such as Equity Bank Uganda are helping to turn climate action into practical community-driven solutions while raising awareness among young people.
Guest of Honour, Mawokota North Member of Parliament Amelia Kyambadde, urged Ugandans to rethink their relationship with forests, warning against continued deforestation for charcoal and other short-term uses.
She emphasized that trees provide essential benefits including clean air, food, biodiversity and long-term environmental stability, adding that protecting them is an investment in the country’s future.
Kyambadde also encouraged communities to value trees beyond their commercial worth, noting that their greatest importance lies in sustaining life and ecosystems.
She called for stronger national efforts to conserve forests, stressing that every tree planted today represents a promise to future generations.
The Mpigi drive builds on Equity Bank Uganda’s broader environmental initiatives across the country, including large-scale greening programmes in schools and communities.
Among them is the Bugisu Greening Campaign, implemented with the Umukuka wa Bugisu and GRO Foundation, which has seen tens of thousands of trees planted across the region.
Similar projects have also been implemented in Busoga and other parts of Uganda, reinforcing the Bank’s commitment to environmental conservation alongside financial inclusion.
Organisers said the Mpigi initiative demonstrates how partnerships between financial institutions, schools, civil society and local communities can accelerate climate action and ecosystem restoration.
For Equity Bank Uganda and My Tree Initiative, the exercise represents a shared commitment to building climate resilience, improving livelihoods and securing a greener future for Uganda and the wider East African region.
