By Franco Praise Mwachande Jnr

Local Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO’s)  United Towards Sustainable Environment Conservation (UTECO)  has partnered with Youth In Action Response Network (YARN) to conserve the environment by planting trees at Kaliyeka School in T/A Tsabango’s area in Lilongwe.

The tree planting initiative that took place on Saturday saw more than 100 tree seedings planted in the area, which was a major boost in curbing deforestation in the capital city.

UTECO Acting Executive Director Ezra Mtsindula said due to the rapid increase of population and unnecessary cutting down of trees they decided to engage the Youth organization to plant trees.

He said:” There is increasing pressure on the use of natural resources due to over population in the country. So, we thought it wise to team up with the youth as they are future leaders in this tree planting excirse “.

” We are very concerned with environmental degradation. So, we believe that working with the youth in the project will play a major role in curbing deforestation. We would like to make community, society and the nation a better place to live”.

 He observed that the country has environmental crisis due to deforestation and it is their wish to reclaim the past glory of making Malawi green.

In addition,  Mtsindura also underscored that the country is in dire need of trees hence its the duty bound of every citizen to help Government in the project and he urges various stakeholders to come in with modern ways of supporting the initiative.

“Malawi is one country that has been affected by climate change, so we have to put in consideration that trees plant annually should tally with number of tree we cut down. Otherwise we have to balance the equation”, he noted.

In his remarks, legislator for Lilongwe City, Ulemu Msungama who was guest of honour expressed gratitude towards the initiative and could not do otherwise but join hands with the lest of the youth after being impressed with their ‘determination’.

“This is our time as youth,  we are future leaders and the future is here. Let’s guard gerously our environment and help in avoiding environmental degradation. It has been a wonderful and exciting day to see the youth planting trees”.

Apart from planting trees, the two forces also collected garbage at Kaliyeka  market as a way of keeping the city clean and preventing the spread of diseases such as cholera which recently affected the capital city.

UTECO was  established in 2016 by small group of  people with different academic backgrounds in the country, with a provision of uniting and empowering communities toward sustainable environment conservation.