By Adan Mohamed - Reporter
June 05, 2026 - Residents of Mandera joined the rest of the country in commemorating World Environment Day through the Pastoralist Treeathlon, a flagship initiative under Kenya's 15 Billion Trees Initiative and the #Jazamiti Campaign.
The event brought together pastoralist communities, students, county leaders, youth groups, farmers, women’s groups, and environmental champions in a collective effort to promote environmental conservation and climate resilience in the county.
Held at Moi Girls Secondary School in Mandera, the Treeathlon went beyond the traditional tree-planting exercise by encouraging participants to plant, nurture, monitor, and protect trees until maturity.
The initiative aims to foster long-term community ownership of conservation efforts while contributing to Kenya’s target of growing 15 billion trees by 2032.
Participants were also introduced to the #Jazamiti App, Kenya’s national tree-tracking platform, which enables users to register, geo-tag, and monitor trees planted across the country. Organizers said the digital platform will enhance accountability and ensure planted trees are monitored and protected over time.
Speaking during the event, stakeholders from the county government emphasized the importance of restoring degraded landscapes and increasing vegetation cover in arid and semi-arid regions such as Mandera, which continue to face the effects of climate change, prolonged drought, and environmental degradation.
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The initiative seeks to empower local communities to become environmental stewards by promoting tree growing as a pathway to climate resilience, sustainable land management, improved livelihoods, and ecosystem restoration.
The event in Mandera was implemented through a partnership between PURPOSE, the Cereal Growers Association (CGA), and Action for Sustainable Change (ASC), which coordinated community mobilization and stakeholder engagement in collaboration with county authorities.
Environmental advocates noted that community participation will be critical in ensuring the success of Kenya’s ambitious tree-growing agenda, particularly in pastoral regions where environmental conservation plays a key role in protecting livelihoods and building resilience against climate-related challenges.
The World Environment Day celebrations concluded with tree-planting activities and demonstrations on the use of the #Jazamiti App, as participants reaffirmed their commitment to protecting the environment for future generations.