By Cecilia Muthoni
First Lady Rachel Ruto has called on school-going children across Kenya to take advantage of the rainy season to plant trees and fruit crops in a bid to restore the country’s ecosystem and combat the effects of climate change.
Speaking at State House Nakuru during the 2025 First Lady’s Mazingira Awards (FLAMA), Mrs. Ruto encouraged students to embrace environmental responsibility both at school and at home.
“As we celebrate the winners of the 2025 Mazingira Awards, we are not just handing out trophies but passing on a torch of responsibility, creativity, and leadership to the young champions of this nation,” she said.
The First Lady explained that FLAMA, which she launched in 2023, was born from a simple vision—to help learners creatively visualize, express, and protect their environment. What began as a small initiative has now evolved into a national movement reaching nearly one million learners in over 2,000 schools across all 47 counties.
“The goal was to give children a platform to learn, love, and lead in matters of environmental conservation. That vision has since grown into a powerful movement,” she said, noting that young Kenyans are emerging as a new generation of environmental champions.
Mrs. Ruto emphasized that tree planting supports President William Ruto’s “Jaza Miti” programme, which seeks to grow 15 billion trees by 2032 to curb greenhouse gas emissions and reverse deforestation. So far, 783 million trees have been planted under the National Tree Growing Restoration Campaign.
Her office has committed to contribute 500 million trees toward that target by 2032, mobilizing schools, communities, and families to help grow what she termed as “Kenya’s green legacy.”
Tourism and Wildlife Cabinet Secretary Rebecca Miano, Nakuru Governor Susan Kihika, and Environment Principal Secretary Festus Ng’eno were among the dignitaries who attended the event.
PS Ng’eno praised the First Lady for her leadership in inspiring climate action among children and youth, saying the FLAMA initiative aligns with the UN’s Action for Climate Empowerment (ACE) framework, which promotes education, participation, and access to environmental information.
He noted that Kenya continues to implement strong policy measures through the Climate Change Act 2016 and its 2023 Amendment, both of which encourage public participation and capacity-building in environmental matters.
“I congratulate the FLAMA 2025 winners whose creative works have showcased remarkable environmental awareness,” Ng’eno said. “We urge Kenyans to take practical environmental action, including establishing school fruit orchards in support of the First Lady’s MaMa Kitchen Gardens and MaMa Fruit Gardens initiatives.”
Governor Kihika lauded the creativity displayed by the learners and highlighted Nakuru County’s own efforts in environmental conservation. She said her administration plants one million trees annually, has restored six riparian zones including Mireroni and Ndarugu rivers, promoted greening activities in schools, and rehabilitated over 300 acres of degraded land.
“I applaud the First Lady for her impactful work through the Mama Kitchen Gardens and Mama Fruit Gardens, which are promoting food security while greening our learning institutions,” said Kihika.
The event brought together learners, teachers, Members of Parliament, county officials, and education leaders in what has become one of the country’s most symbolic celebrations of youth-led climate action.
Through FLAMA, the Office of the First Lady continues to nurture a generation that not only learns about conservation but actively leads Kenya’s journey toward a greener, more sustainable future.