Ishaka Adventist Hospital,KCB Bank plant 600 trees in environmental protection drive

In a bid to contribute to the conventionally known environmental protection measures, Ishaka Adventist Hospital, in partnership with KCB Bank, participated on Friday, October 4, 2024, in an exercise that saw up to 600 trees being planted at Ishaka Hill.

The social corporate responsibility gesture was planned two months earlier by leaders from the two institutions with an intention of emphasizing their ecological footprint, believing that humanity has negatively impacted the environment, leading to climate change, pollution, and biodiversity loss, and fixing the problem is everyone’s responsibility.

The activity attracted officials from KCB Bank, IAH, and students from IAH health training institutions, the Lions Club of Bushenyi, Bushenyi-ishaka municipality, and the Bushenyi district local government, and the Bushenyi Resident District Commissioner, Mr. Robert Atuhairwe was the guest of honour.

Guest of honour, Mr. Atuhairwe (with microphone) launching the tree planting exercise.

Bushenyi district, Ishaka Hill in particular, enjoys a reputation of being one of the areas that are still green and are maintaining the green cover in the region, although it suffers from air and water pollution, deforestation, soil degradation, and climate change.

By planting trees, both IAH and KCB Bank appreciated how important it is for them to work together solving the prevailing problems and helping to preserve and sustain the environment in the area.

Tree planting at Ishaka was done ahead of this year’s Creation Sabbath, an annual celebration purposed to recognize God’s power and grace as Creator and Redeemer under the theme “Let the field be joyful, and all that is therein: then shall all the trees of the wood rejoice.”— Psalm 96:12

Speaking at the launching and planting ceremony, the guest of honour, Mr. Robert Atuhairwe, stressed how important the tree planting drive was in saving the planet from ‘catching fire’ due to human-induced global warming and climate change, arguing that it should be everyone’s role to protect sustainable use of resources.

“I am using this occasion to reiterate the fact that environmental restoration and conservation operations in Bushenyi district are in high gear. I want you to join us in promoting environmental conservation, sensitization, and responsible use of our natural resources,” Mr. Atuhairwe told the gathering.

Lauding Ishaka for producing good-quality personnel to serve in the health care system, the RDC remarked that the tree planting drive with KCB Bank shot into the President of Uganda, HE Yoweri Kaguta Museveni’s message of rallying Ugandans into protecting the environment.

Bushenyi Deputy RDC, Mr. Kasigazi Williams Donanto(right) planting a tree.

Mr. Edward Mpeirwe Mpabwa, the Minister of Social Services at Bushenyi District Local Government, while representing the district chairperson, said that the hope of planet earth lays with people who are doing what they can to restore what is lost and plan for future generations.

“Thank you for being part of the process that is giving hope to our land so that we give hope to the survival of our beloved planet,” he said.

While representing the IAH executive director, Elder Muhindo Kitima, the Principal School of Nursing and Midwifery honoured the partnership between IAH and KCB Bank and pledged to make it sustainable, especially using it to serve humanity.

He thanked the SDA Church for celebrating Nature and appreciating God’s creation, which is very significant, and putting aside a special Sabbath in honour of God’s marvelous creation.

 KCB Bank Head of Marketing, Mrs. Diana Komukama Ssempebwa mentioned that tree planting has a far-reaching positive impact on restoring the lost forest cover, and efforts in that direction should be supported.

“If you plant a tree and if I plant a tree, we are all contributing to taking the numbers back up, and as KCB, we are very committed. This year, we are planting 10,000, and next year, we will double that number. If we have partners like IAH, it is a pleasure because we can’t do it alone,” remarked Mrs. Ssempebwa.

KCB Bank Mbarara branch Manager, Mr. Dennis Mugisa planting a tree during the launch.

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