Kanzinwa Primary School, Kitui County, was recognized as the winner of Phase V of KenGen Foundation’s flagship environmental conservation programme the Schools’ Green Initiative Challenge, a school based afforestation competition located in the semi-arid counties of Embu, Machakos and Kitui on 17 May.

Kanzinwa Primary beat 99 other competing schools in the two year competition that saw them record the highest survival rates of indigenous tree seedlings provided by project partner Better Globe Forestry.

The second runner up was Kaseve Primary School, Machakos County, with Kamathitu Secondary School in position three.

During the Award Ceremony, the project partners KenGen Kenya and Better Globe also announced the launch of GIC Phase VII, which brings on board 100 schools from Kitui, Machakos and Embu Counties. This addition brings to 700 the number of schools participating in the project since its launch in 2015.

Implemented by Kengen Foundation, KenGen Kenya and Better Globe Forestry, GIC is a 10 year program that targets to enroll 1,000 schools and greening a total of 460 acres with 324,300 tree seedlings as well as 113,956 fruit seedlings

Green is a colour of growth and rebirth. It renews and restores depleted energy. One reliable source of green is that of trees and some schools in Kitui and Embu; arid and semi-arid areas, are testament to how growing of trees in their schools has made an indelible positive difference to their environment.

The trees have not only added to the beauty of the school, but also created a more conducive environment to learn. The schools, which are beneficiaries of Green Initiative Challenge (GIC) under the KenGen Foundation Environment Pillar boasts of woodlots with more than 13,000 trees.

In November 2013, KenGen Foundation took up the model of the GIC from the Ministry of Education and Kenya Forestry Services. As a way of inculcating a culture of afforestation and conservation of natural resources in schools, KenGen Foundation donated 24,000 tree seedlings to schools in Embu and Kitui counties in the first phase of the project, which have transformed the initially brown topography into green.

“The GIC has not only transformed the schools, but also the community. People in the area now view the schools as little havens because their homes are still dry and even want to take their goats to graze there since the grass cover has grown significantly,” says Anthony Igecha, a senior programmes officer at KenGen Foundation, on how the trees have improved the aesthetics of the schools.

Cassia Siamea, a unique species of tree that grows fast, is one of the two species of trees introduced to the schools. The tree also serves as a source of fuel that conserves the environment, since its branches can be cut for fuel without necessarily felling the trees. Cognizant of the fact that these areas are dry and keeping trees alive would be a daunting task, Kengen Foundation designed the project as a challenge.

As a way of motivating the schools to participate, the foundation awards schools with the highest survival rate and those that exhibit a high level of innovation in caring for the trees with cash awards, trips for the students and water tanks.

The success of the first phase, through a tree survival rate of 55 per cent, acted as a great motivational factor to upscale the project, leading to the launch of Phase two in November 2015. Phase two has now extended to Kitui County adding up to 120 schools participating in the project from the three counties.

The schools not only benefit from commercial trees, but also fruit seedlings from which they earn money through the sale of fruits. According to Igecha, the communities have embraced the programme, making the foundation consider involving the communities in tree planting by introducing family woodlots in their homes.

According to a World Bank report, Kenya’s forest cover as at 2015 was 7.8 per cent, making the country one of the lowest ranked. Igecha urges more corporates to engage in initiatives that will help boost the countries’ forest cover and mitigate the adverse effects of climate change.

To him nothing is more inspiring than seeing an area entirely transformed. “These children will become environment ambassadors in future, by investing in them through inculcating environmental awareness, we are sure to have a bright one,” says Igecha.

By Frank David Ochieng’

After about two years since inception, the KenGen foundation is now ready to spread its wings to soar the free skies and reach out to the opportunities it was set to achieve.

Alas! The philanthropic cog of our strategic flywheel fires up this month of February – the month of love -and what a way to celebrate saint valentine’s month than by giving and receiving gifts? The promise of the New Year is here!

And talking about the art of giving Mike Njeru the long serving corporate affairs manager, or so he was at least to my colleagues in the fourth estate, is the man to watch.

So ladies if you want chocolates, cakes, sweet scented perfumes, and a bed of red roses, you know who to hunt down now. You have no reason to miss out on this because he will seek you out wherever you are.

Flanked with his dynamic trio-queens of Catherine, Lydia, and Dorcas and right hand man Anthony the team from the KenGen Foundation will be on a road show around all installations

Technical Assurance & Quality, Manager Henry Ithiami planting a Tree at Nalepo Pri Sch Ngong II. Giving back to the environment. with one message – Be a Giver.

Like the disciples of Jesus, they will be traversing the length and breadth of this nation from the east to west from central to the coast only this time not for the communities but to teach us how to give.

“We begin the areas wide tour this week for the foundation launch and staff orientation. We have been preparing for this since December last year and we are now ready to move, starting with Olkaria this Wednesday to Friday,” said

Mike Njeru the foundation’s managing trustee. “Most of you have been wanting to know more about the Foundation…why it was established, its duties and responsibilities and its relationship with the Company,” reads in part a mail Mr. Njeru sent out to all staff, adding, “we shall soon be in your area to answer these questions and many more, and to show you not only the role of the foundation in the company, but also your role in the foundation.”

The KenGen Foundation, managing
trustee Mike Njeru teaching pupils
how to care for the environment.

Speaking to KenGen Weekly Mr. Njeru said this will be an opportunity for the foundation to sell the novel idea of employees’ contributions to corporate social investment programs.

“We shall be launching the KenGen Employee Giver Initiative program which seeks to turn all employees into givers,” he told me.

And as sure as the African sun hits the geothermal-active fields of Olkaria from the east, so will the train of the foundation halt in Naivasha to a welcome of over 1,000 members of the geothermal doyens of Olkaria. See you there.

Meanwhile, the Foundation team moved early this month to their new ultramodern office at the RBS Parking Silo.   But that’s a story for another day.

Seems 2015 is set for great things for the KenGen Foundation.

KenGen Foundation Launches Student Mentorship Programme

Scholarship Awards

The KenGen Foundation conducted the 2014 Scholarships Awards ceremony and the inaugural

KenGen Board Chairman Mr Choge and KenGen MD & CEO Mr Albert Mugo, present a Scholarship Award to Hilary Njiru, a beneficiary.

Mentorship Programme for the student beneficiaries on 18^th to 19^th August 2014 at the Starehe Boys Centre.

The award ceremony was an elaborate ceremony presided over by the Chairman of the KenGen Board of Directors Mr. Joshua Kibet and attended by the Managing Director & CEO who is also the Chairman of the Board of Trustees Mr. Albert Mugo.

In an elaborate ceremony spiced up by captivating and culturally rich Maasai traditional dances by Oloong’onot Primary School pupils in Naivasha, nineteen high school students received their Form One Scholarships through the Foundation. The students who are from poor background received four- year education scholarships with promise for direct sponsorship to university if they score  A’s in their KCSE exams. A look at the awards lists confirms enrolment of such students in prestigious and highly performing national and county schools.

Pupils of Oloong’onot Primary entertain guests at the Awards Ceremony

The ceremony also saw the Chief Guest unveiling two graduates who have been directly absorbed into KenGen’s workforce after having scored  first class honours in their respective disciplines. One is an engineer and the other is an ICT Assistant, both based in Olkaria.

One discernable element during the award ceremony is the diversity in terms of geographical dispersion as well a religious affiliation of the recipients. But despite the diversity, students displayed unity of purpose and determination to leverage on KenGen’s goodwill and support as attested by the scholarship awards’ equity and fairness.

KenGen Foundation’s goodwill Ambassador
Dr. Tegla Lorupe

From a desperate situation, KenGen has catapulted the beneficiaries to a level where they can excel and become part and parcel of the productive segment of the Kenyan society. This was perhaps aptly captured by the Foundation’s goodwill ambassador, World famous Tegla Lorupe who implored the students not to take things for granted but to appreciate the opportunity that they have been given to become the best one can humanly become and contribute positively to the society.

The Foundation’s Managing Trustee, Mike Njeru noted that with the Foundation carrying full time and focused corporate social responsibility the Company will able to  realize better visibility through well planned corporate social investment programs.

Mr Matthew Kithyaka of Starehe Boys Centre gives his speech

The climax of the day was capped by speeches where the Chief Guest implored the beneficiaries to remain focused and live their dreams. On behalf of KenGen he promised all the support required to ensure the enrolled students complete their programmes and become successfully. The MD & CEO promised to work closely with the beneficiaries to ensure personal challenges are mitigated in the students’ quest for excellence. The Director of the Starehe Boys Centre Mr. Matthew Kithyaka gave academic counsel to the students and pointed out the need to develop holistic personnel in order to cope with ever increasing challenges in academic and social spheres of life.

It was a memorable day for the new students who mingled freely with KenGen staff and Foundation’s Board of Trustees.

Mentorship Programme

The following day the students were fully engaged in the Mentorship Program.

The goal of these programs to prepare the, through experienced professionals to be more focused and purposefully in their studies. The program aims at providing supportive structures, cultivate contacts, explore challenges as enhance their effectiveness as they design their personal growth and career paths.

It was a day full of mentorship related activities with the Leads Training Consultants, led by the bestselling author, Anthony Gitonga taking the students through the theoretical and experiential lessons that were tailor-made to instill key life and academic skills among the students. The team also donated 100 copies of the title “Mind Shift: Shifting Mindsets, Changing the World Views” to the students for reference.

The Foundation plans to conduct the Mentorship Program annually and develop follow up mentorship sessions in the schools and universities to continuously engage the students.

Chief Guests with all the Foundation’s Scholarship beneficiaries

High School Academic Awards Champions
The following Form one students were conferred with a four year High school scholarship award during the just concluded mentorship event.

KenGen Foundation takes this opportunity to congratulate the 2014 beneficiaries and urge them to work extra hard to excel in their studies in their various institutions.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hY2Z1m0_PC0

The Kenya Electricity Generating Company (KenGen) has unveiled the Great Dam Race. The race seeks to create environmental awareness and raise funds to conserve the Seven Forks ecosystem. The race is scheduled to take place on Saturday June 14th. Runners will have the pleasure of the scenic Masinga Dam and Mwea National reserve. The Great Dam Race will offer participants a unique mix of running for fun, conservation as well as promoting sports tourism. The race will feature a 21-kilometer half marathon as well as a 10-kilometer race.

The Inaugural KenGen Great Dams Race Beats Them All

The KenGen Great Dams Race held on Saturday 14 June 2014 at Masinga Dam, proved, as anticipated to be a race above the rest. The colourful run through thescenic route with over 700 runners, the tastefully branded arena and exhibition area and a full card evening to dawn entertainment program with Karish and Ken wa Maria’s live performances, and a giant screen to watch world cup matches – made it a weekend out to remember.

The event was graced by over 1,500 spectators and participants. 330 community members from Embu and Machakos counties competed against 21 corporate teams (over 200 runners) and 100 KenGen Staff. Machakos County community members clutched the top 3 positions for both the individual 21km and 10km races while Kenya Association of Manufacturers emerged winners of the corporate 21km race.

In the KenGen staff race, KenGen’s Nairobi team emerged the overall winner, followed by the Olkaria team, with the Kipevu team coming in at 3rd position.  

Great initiative to encourage Corporates, the public at large and local communities to actively contribute towards local environmental conservation.

Registration for KenGen’s Great Dams Race was officially launched during a media briefing at the New Stanley Hotel on Tuesday 15 April 2014.

The event was graced by renowned former athlete Tegla Lorupe who became the first participant to register online for the race via its website (www.kengen.co.ke/greatdamsrace). KenGen’s Managing Director Albert Mugo said during the launch that the race marks an important milestone in protecting the important water catchment zone of the 7-Forks. He noted that KenGen’s aim was to not only safeguard Kenya’s energy security but to encourage corporates, the public and local communities to actively participate in environmental conservation efforts. In addition, he added that it is a healthy fun way of contributing to environmental conservation while enjoying some of the most attractive sites in Kenya.

The race offers a weekend of fun for a good course and is expected to have full subscription. Those wishing to enjoy the early bird registration fees have until May 15 to take the advantage after which the normal fees will apply.

A review of the Green Initiative Challenge (GIC) was carried out in early March 2014 to ascertain the survival rate of seedlings donated to 78 schools in Masinga, Mbeere North and Mbeere South Districts  participating in the challenge .

The results of the review culminated into a two day workshop held on 5th – 6th March 2014  to build capacity  for the participating environmental project patrons in the school.  The workshop facilitated information sharing on management and success of the GIC program.

This is a networking Conference for grantmaker bodies and philanthropic support organizations. It is made up of more than 150 philanthropy support organizations from over 50 countries worldwide. The Forum is held every 4years and focuses on identifying new innovations in the philanthropic sector, facilitating sharing of information, experiences and ideas. In addition, it offers members skill-building workshops, peer learning events, regional meetings, and access to essential data on philanthropy worldwide.