About

The Green Initiative was born in 2012 in Maseno. It started off as a platform for sensitizing students on what purpose is, on how to establish what one's purpose is and how to live a purposeful life. That was the main reason for the formation of The Green Initiative. Green is for life and it is believed that one begins to live the moment they realize why it is that they are living. Our slogan is "Life to the brim" for no effort should be spared in seeking a fulfilled life, a life lived for a course.

"The way I used to view it originally, is that I wanted to talk to people and help them realize their purpose and in return I wanted them to help me in the process, to realize a goal I had; That of food security and environmental conservation. I have been passionate about the environment for a long time. I also have always had it in me to start something that will bring Africa to the capacity of feeding herself. I always have been of the belief that Africa can be food secure if the available resources are properly utilized."

"That was the basis from which I started The Green Initiative. Later on I came to find that the model which best suits the underlying concept and its implementation is partnership. I decided that it would work in the best interest of all parties if The Green Initiative got to grow as a partnership. In order for the agenda to be implementable, it is important for The Green Initiative to be a profitable organization and as such, members can partner and invest and reap from their investment in the organization’s projects as the organization grows."

"This is a better model as compared to where the members have no stake in the organization. If and when the members hold shares in the organization, there is a deep sense of ownership of the organization in the members which will cause them to uphold accountability. This profits both the members and the organization."
 

"That said, I would want to point out to you the areas I would want The Green Initiative to venture in.

The environment- Despite the fact that food security is an area for which I am more passionate, the environment is where I would seek for us to start. This is because, when we have restored the environment to its former state, agriculture will be more productive."

·        I would want us to work at reforestation. With the assistance of government bodies such as KEFRI (Kenya Forest Research Institute) and KFS (Kenya Forest Service), we could identify tree species that take a short while to mature. The Bamboo is an ideal option as it takes quite a short while to mature. It also grows in a variety of areas which renders it quite advisable"

 

·        "Our very foremost investment will be that of leasing land to prepare bamboo seedlings. I would like for us to collaborate with farmers and sell the seedlings to them. Note that we can make profit from; buying the mature bamboo poles (from the farmers we sold the seedlings to) and making bamboo products for sale, locally and abroad"

 

·      "Once the farmers are aware of the fact that the bamboo they plant can be a source of income for them, they will be quite willing to experiment planting them. There is a 10% land policy which requires 10% of land owned to be under tree cover. If we manage to have farmers in highlands subscribe to our commercial bamboo tree planting model, we shall improve tree cover in the country. 

·         As for bamboo value addition, we can fabricate items such as furniture and boards that are used in interiors (will elaborate on this further). There is a very ready market especially if we offer competitive prices. 

·         As for the forests, we could also seek additional funding from corporates and initiate campaigns to buy seedlings and plant in our forests. If we have with us seedlings at the time of the project, this simply means that we shall buy from ourselves.

·         We could also invest in nurseries where we plant decorative trees and plants. We could start a landscaping department and offer the service. This sort of service is quite unexplored especially in urban areas away from Nairobi. We could also work in liaison with county governments in town beautification programs.

·         Where the environment is concerned, we could organize clean up exercises both in rural and urban areas. We could provide bins for waste collection. Working in liaison with water and sewerage companies for the different urban centers, we could embark on recycling and reuse campaigns for all sorts of waste; sewage, plastics, organic waste et al.

·         We could invest in green energy. Foremost, I would like to add that I would want for us to be present in every single county. In our facilities, I would want us to invest in renewable energy; solar panels and wind turbines. I know of an institution of higher learning which has installed solar panels in its facility. The energy they generate is adequate to supply the whole institution with power and in addition, they supply the surplus to the national grid. I would want of us to replicate this model in our facilities. Additionally, we could introduce farming of trees whose seeds produce ethane (such as castor oil) especially in dry areas and come up with ethane producing plants

·         We could also invest in biogas plants for farmers. For a zero grazer with a single cow, constructing a biogas plant for them would cost roughly Ksh 20,000. Due to the fact that funding especially for small scale farmers is quite an issue, we could assist them source funding (which should make our model quite marketable). This biogas aspect will help in greatly reducing the use of firewood and charcoal.

·         For urban areas, we can invest in sewage recycling. Sewage from one household has the capacity to produce biogas adequate for cooking and water heating. There are several companies I am aware of, which we can work in liaison with towards this end.

·         I would also want us to introduce an environmentally friendly packaging solution to rid the market of plastic packaging.

Food security-I would want to cause Kenya to feed herself. It is sad that Kenya exports horticultural products which she cannot consume because they are somewhat expensive. When they are sorting out fruits for export at the airport, the best goes abroad while the rejects get sold here. That should not be the case. I would want us to produce fruits and vegetables of highest quality for the Kenyan market.

·         I would want us to lease land (especially in places that have been formally thought of as unproductive) and farm. We could also buy a small piece of land just adjacent to the leased land and drill a borehole. We could sell water to the neighboring communities to earn a side income as we farm. I would want us to farm fruits and vegetables (determined by the climatic conditions of the specific place). We could also practice irrigation to divert from rain fed agriculture. 

·         Organic farming is not widely practiced in the country. Farming without chemicals is quite the way to go. We could practice it in our farming so as to have the highest quality yield.

·         For the sake of avoiding middlemen, we could strategize on marketing our products ourselves. In Urban centers we could come up with wholesale and retail vegetable mini markets from where to sell our produce. We could offer competitive prices for us to extend our reach.

·         For the sake of empowering society, we could liaise with individual small scale farmers in our quest for food production. With the help of our extension officers, we could help them in organic farming for purposes of high standard yields. Collaborating with farmers will enable us to ensure that we never lack supply for our markets.

·         Dairy and Fish farming in liaison with local farmers is another area we could get involved in. with these two, value addition could be our greatest forte. Camel and goat milk products for farmers from dryer areas of the country could be a great inclusion.

·         Every of our facility in the counties should have a Farmers training facility. Our farming extension officers should be available to help farmers countrywide. Now that the government farming extension officers are no longer deployed by the government, we could take up the role.

Preservation of our cultural heritage-The country has such a rich heritage which is about to go down the drain if unpreserved.

·         Production of documentaries. We could seek to document our art, history and culture from all our tribes. We could seek out the old, who are the remnants of our culture. They are a proper primary source who will help us create documentaries. We could showcase the documentaries we create and earn from that. We could also invest in animation film production of fables and stories from Kenya.

·         Every of our facilities in the counties should include a mini museum to preserve the cultures of the people of the particular county.  There should also be an auditorium from which to showcase the documentaries. All sorts of art; performed and illustrated from all the tribes of the country should find home at our facility.

We could work at improving local tourism by introducing these cultural heritage centers in the counties. We could also work with the local communities to ensure that they hold stake in the heritage center. We could invest in bird sanctuaries, camping sites and holiday homes in the different counties.

·         We could invest in a hotel at the facility, which could earn us revenue. Apart from the hotel, we could have a tours and travel department to further aid in inter county local tourism. We could also have conference facilities at the hotel for purposes of service diversification. Our hotels could serve local cuisines to the tourists. Ecotourism should very well fall with our environmental conservation agenda.

·         The constitution of our country has stated that every county should have an art center; where music can be learned and performed, where the young can learn handy skills. I would want us to invest in auditoria at our facilities. Performance and exhibition centers for the arts. I would want to use these to teach on purpose. I have always dreamt of coming up with an art academy. Technical skills taught at our facilities should benefit the youth and help them be dependent. We could also teach basic life skills as we teach on purpose.

·         I would want my facilities to be home to some underprivileged in society such as the street children. I would not want to operate as a children’s home. I would want to give them skills to help them build a life. I would want to offer a fishing rod rather than fish.

Shelter-this is the fourth and final of our agendas

·         I would want us to invest in low cost shelters for the middle and low income earners. This is a concept that can greatly offer us the capitals necessary to enable us invest in the other areas. I have always wanted to invest in real estate, but I have wanted to do it differently. I want to offer solutions to many people. I am in knowledge of building technologies that are highly low cost. Both urban and rural residents are in need of low cost houses and that we can offer. If and when we incorporate proper landscaping in our projects, we avail quality living solutions that at a highly affordable price. When we include environmental sustainability such as renewable energy, then our solutions are priceless.

That is what my vision for the Green Initiative is in brief. 

Fred wa Mumbi

Founder,

The Green Initiative Kenya