By Burnett Munthali
Journalists from the Karonga Press Club (KPC), in partnership with Lotus Africa Limited, have taken a proactive step in environmental conservation by planting 300 tree seedlings at Karonga Old Mission Primary School.
The initiative aims to combat climate change by increasing tree cover in the area, which will help mitigate the effects of deforestation and land degradation.
KPC’s General Secretary, Walughano Lumbira, expressed gratitude to Lotus Africa Limited for providing the tree seedlings that made the initiative possible.
He urged local chiefs and school leaders to take responsibility for the seedlings and ensure that they are properly cared for.
Lumbira emphasized that the trees need to be nurtured to maturity so they can serve their intended purpose of environmental restoration.
Village Headman Sadala welcomed the initiative and assured the journalists that measures would be put in place to protect the seedlings.
He acknowledged that stray cattle are a common threat to young trees in the area and vowed to implement strategies to safeguard them.
Innocent Panja, the headteacher of Karonga Old Mission Primary School, also commended the project and shared his hopes for its long-term benefits.
He highlighted that once the trees are fully grown, they will provide much-needed shelter from harsh weather conditions for both students and teachers.
Karonga Old Mission Primary School currently has an enrollment of 835 learners, making it one of the larger schools in the district.
Despite its significant student population, the school faces numerous challenges that hinder effective learning.
A critical shortage of classroom blocks has led to overcrowded learning conditions, affecting the quality of education.
Many students also lack proper desks, forcing them to sit on the floor during lessons, which further disrupts their learning experience.
The school is also struggling with an insufficient number of teachers, placing a heavy workload on the existing staff.
Stakeholders hope that alongside environmental conservation efforts, the school will receive much-needed infrastructural support to improve learning conditions.
The tree-planting initiative is expected to inspire other communities and organizations to take similar actions in addressing climate change.
By working together, journalists, corporate partners, and local leaders can create lasting environmental and social change in Karonga and beyond.
