Absa Bank Announces Plan To Plant 10,000 Fruit Trees In Schools Through Kenya Magical Open Tournament

 

Absa Bank's Head of Sustainability Jane Waiyaki.
By Moses Kinyanjui For Citizen Digital

As part of the Kenya 2022 Magical Open initiative, Absa Bank Kenya has announced a bold plan to plant 10,000 fruit trees in Kenyan schools this year.

The initiative, dubbed Birdies for Good, will see one plant grown for every birdie scored in the tournament, which will be held from March 3rd to March 6th at the Muthaiga Golf Club.

In addition to the 10,000 trees pledge, Absa has pledged to donate Ksh.1,200 for every birdie (a golf score of one stroke less than par on a hole) to plant and grow additional fruit trees in Kenyan schools this year. Through this campaign, they hope to raise at least Ksh.6 million.

Absa Bank's Head of Sustainability Jane Waiyaki spoke at the event, reiterating the bank's commitment to having a positive impact on communities through the Birdies for Good initiative.

"As Absa, we are a deliberate force for good, with a heart that beats for the communities in which we operate. We want to make a difference in people's lives beyond the tournament, and the Birdies for Good initiative exemplifies this commitment," posed Ms Waiyaki.

"As a result, we challenge the golfers to bring their best game to the tournament and be a part of impacting our community through their scores."

Birdies for Good was launched during the Magical Kenya Open in 2021, with Ksh.8 million raised for long-term community development projects.

Those who benefited included a women's bead-making enterprise, tree planting, and the distribution of sanitary pads to schoolgirls in Laikipia, Isiolo, and Samburu counties.

In total, the bank plans to plant ten million trees over the next five years.