Dream Alive and Care Organization, in partnership with the Nairobi County Government and Lions International, planted tree seedlings in Zimmerman Ward, Roysambu Sub-County, as part of an ongoing effort to restore the ecosystem and promote environmental conservation in the area.
- The Exercise. The exercise brought together county officials, Lions Club members, local youth groups, and residents, who spent the morning digging, planting, and watering seedlings along a stretch of the river that has suffered from erosion and pollution in recent years.
- The seedlings, a mix of indigenous and fruit-bearing species selected for their suitability to the local climate, are expected to help stabilise and provide long-term shade and food sources for the community.
- Child Welfare and Environmental Health. Speaking at the event, a representative of Dream Alive and Care Organization said the partnership reflected the organisation's belief that child welfare and environmental health are connected.
- "The children we work with live in these neighbourhoods," the representative said. "When the river floods, when the soil erodes, when the air is thick with dust, it is the children who suffer first. Planting trees here is not separate from our work. It is part of it."
- County Greening Targets. A representative from the Nairobi County Government's environment department noted that the county has been working to increase tree cover across the capital, which currently stands at approximately 13 percent, and that partnerships with community organisations and international clubs were essential to reaching the county's greening targets.
- The representative urged residents to take responsibility for the seedlings planted in their area, saying that "planting is the easy part. Keeping them alive is the work."
- Lions Club International Support. The Lions Club International, which has a long history of environmental service in Kenya, provided both volunteers and technical support for the exercise. The club has previously supported tree-planting initiatives in other parts of Nairobi and across the country, including the establishment of the Lions Forest in the Nashulai Conservatory in 2023.
- A club representative said the Zimmerman exercise was part of a broader commitment to environmental stewardship and community service. "Trees are one of the simplest and most lasting things we can give to a community," the representative said. "They clean the air. They hold the soil. They give shade. And they outlive all of us."
- Youth Leadership. Local youth leaders who participated in the exercise said the involvement of young people was deliberate. "We wanted the youth to lead this," one organiser said. "When young people plant trees in their own ward, they have a reason to protect them. It becomes theirs."
- Zimmerman Ward has seen previous community-led tree-planting efforts, including a 200-tree exercise in April 2026 led by local youth groups, who praised grassroots environmental initiatives at the time. This exercise builds on that momentum, with organisers expressing hope that similar activities will continue throughout the year.
- Monitoring and Maintenance. The seedlings planted on will be monitored by a community caretaker team, with support from the county's environment officers, to ensure they survive the dry season. Dream Alive and Care Organization will continue to support follow-up watering and maintenance as part of its broader community resilience programming in the area.
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