By Aggrey Baba
He who plants a tree, plants hope, and this timeless African proverb rang true as Housing Finance Bank (HFB) marked World Earth Day 2025 with a bold promise, to plant one million trees across Uganda by 2027.
In an event held in Kampala on April 22, the Bank reaffirmed its role as a guardian of the environment through its ongoing Tiny Forests initiative, which is a key part of its Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) agenda.
The goal is to grow dense, fast-growing bamboo forests in both urban and rural communities, boosting biodiversity and building climate resilience.
Speaking at the event, Doreen Nyiramugisha, Head of Marketing and Communications reminded the audience that “sustainability must go beyond policy, and be rooted in purpose and action.”
The Bank partnered with different stakeholders including Buganda Road Primary School, Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA), and local communities in this ambitious drive.
Over 1,000 bamboo seedlings were distributed, 650 to staff and 350 to customers, demonstrating that everyone has a role to play in protecting our planet.
Bamboo was a natural choice, not because it grows quickly, but it produces 30% more oxygen than other trees and removes over three times more carbon dioxide, supporting local livelihoods.
Issa Katwesige, Assistant Commissioner for Forestry at the Ministry of Water and Environment, praised the Bank’s effort as “a shining example of corporate responsibility,” emphasizing the urgent need to protect green spaces in Uganda’s cities.
The event was held in partnership with Greening Africa, whose Board Chair Olga Rucogoza Ajiri emphasized that this project is not just about planting trees, but planting hope, resilience, and a greener future for all Ugandans.
In setting this one-million-tree goal, the HFB has shown that it is more than a financial institution, but a changemaker committed to building a cleaner, greener, and more sustainable Uganda, because the best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago, but the second-best time is now. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
