Projects we have documented

On Aberdare forest conservation, Green Hearts has planted over 10,000 trees to restore degraded land: places affected by landslides, places where trees have dried up, and places where trees have been destroyed by animals. Photographs show volunteers and community members planting seedlings in forest soil and on bare hillsides, and nursery seedbeds.

Photographs show tree seedlings growing in nursery bags and in rows under shade, vegetables growing in kitchen-garden beds, and garden beds being prepared. Green Hearts has established kitchen gardens in 6 primary schools, and gave 10,000+ fruit trees to those schools. The names of the schools will be added.

Photographs show groups of participants planting trees in forest. The Aberdare range is one of Kenya’s five main water towers; you can read the background, kept separate from our own activities, in the Aberdare section of Our Work. The profile does not give project dates or planting numbers.

The park was new when planting began, with only a few indigenous trees more than 30 years old. Planting events include:

• 22 November 2020: 300 indigenous and ornamental trees planted in celebration of John Kamau's birthday, an event dubbed “birthdaytrees”.
• 9 April 2021: John Kamau, representing Green Hearts, joined the DCC Kangema, the sub-county administration, the County Forester and Sub-county Forester, leaders of the Akorino faith, the Muguru Ward Office, Equity Bank Kangema, Kahuti Water Company, the TSC Director and Kazi Mtaani officers for a tree planting event, as part of the #1MillionTreesChallenge. A total of 5,000 seedlings were planted at different schools around Kangema and at Kangema Nature Park.
• 8 May 2021: Members of the Kangema university and colleges student association planted 500 indigenous and ornamental trees as a CSR activity, in partnership with Green Hearts.
• 21 May 2021: John Kamau joined PS Wairagū Wa Maaī and Muguru MCA Ibrahim Ngundo at the park during the celebration of 100 years of the Akurinu Church. 300 indigenous and ornamental trees were planted, and 5,000 Hass grafted avocado trees were donated to residents and locals, under the #1MillionTreesChallenge.

The profile also includes a set titled “Kangema Nature Park after restoration”, showing young trees growing.

People, communities, NGOs and the government plant trees around Sasumua Dam to conserve the water catchment. On 17 December 2023 a total of 2,000 trees were planted, 300 of them by Green Hearts. The group also toured the dam, facilitated by the dam's management, which is under the Nairobi water company.

We were invited by the Green Walk and Environment Conservation group in Nairobi to help restore trees that were damaged inside City Park forest. Green Hearts had not yet been formed, but we were already doing conservation work.

Green Hearts was invited to take part in National Tree Planting Day 2023 at the MUWASCO Sewerage Treatment site. Our members who attended planted 100 trees. The exact date will be confirmed.

In September 2023, our founder Mary Wambui was invited to the Africa Climate Summit in Nairobi. The summit brought together leaders, environmental stakeholders, development partners, civil society representatives and young people to discuss climate change solutions, green growth and climate finance for Africa. Photographs show conference sessions, speakers and participants meeting one another.

At the summit, Mary spoke about three topics:

• Environmental conservation. Protecting, restoring and sustainably managing forests, rivers, wetlands, wildlife and biodiversity, which give people clean water, healthy soil and habitats for wildlife.
• Carbon credits. Carbon credits represent a measured reduction or removal of greenhouse gases. Planting trees does not automatically create credits: projects must meet standards for measurement, verification and registration, and must treat communities fairly. This is general background. Green Hearts does not currently run a carbon-credit project.
• Young people in conservation. Giving young people a voice, training and opportunities in tree growing, restoration, clean-ups and environmental education.

Photographs show people gathered at the 2023 Mashujaa Day celebrations, and a commemorative medal inscribed “Mashujaa Day – Kericho 2023”. On 20 October 2023, H.E. President William Ruto awarded John Kamau a presidential heroes award.

Green Hearts was invited by Dr Isaac Kalua Green to Plant Your Age, an event he held to celebrate his birthday. The day began with 47 trees planted to represent the 47 counties of Kenya. Everyone then planted trees to match their own age. Together, the three Green Hearts representatives planted 100 trees. John Kamau received a Certificate of Appreciation for taking part.