The government in Kenya declared Monday a public holiday to encourage residents to plant 100 million trees across the country.
President William Ruto has pledged that 15 billion trees will be planted by 2032 to boost Kenya’s forest cover following the Horn of Africa region’s worst drought in 40 years.
Civil servants, students and families gathered in various locations in the capital Nairobi on Monday to plant trees despite heavy rain.
“I planted around fifty trees today. I think it is a powerful and necessary initiative for the planet, particularly after having experienced a dramatic drought for several consecutive seasons,” a government official told AFP.