Project Seed4Change: Youth-Led Sustainability Through Environmental Conservation at Lang’ata Boys High School

In the prudent words of Robert Swan, “the greatest threat to our planet is the belief that someone else will save it”. On 8th May 2026, Lang’ata Boys High School became a living classroom for environmental action as students, educators, and partners came together for a tree-planting initiative that put sustainability into practice.

The Tree Planting Initiative is part of the Seeds4Change Project initiated by Strathmore University Nonprofits, Social Enterprises and Philanthropy (SUNSEP) Hub. The initiative demonstrated an increased dedication to youth-led climate solutions and local environmental protection. SUNSEP Hub, partnered with the Centre of Ecosystem Restoration Kenya (CERK), the Strathmore Environmental Sustainability Community (SESC), and the Finnet Foundation.

To ensure that tree planting was done with environmental considerations in mind, CERK supported a field visit to assess which tree to plant in the school, which would be suitable for the soil and climate. This was followed by a collaborative ecosystem in which Joseph Ngoma, Ian Abuki and Grace Kariiru from SUNSEP Hub, together with members of SESC, delivered technical coordination services and a sustainability framework, while Finnet Foundation and the teachers from Lang’ata High School handled operational execution and community engagement.

The event began with an environmental stewardship session, where all partners and staff engaged the students at the assembly ground. Mr Paul Ojera, Principal of Lang’ata Boys High School, kicked off the event by assuring a long-lasting partnership. Dr William Murithi, a Senior faculty member at SBS and SUNSEP Hub Lead, motivated the students to take charge of their environmental conservation as a career path. Additionally, Mr Samuel Nondo from the Finnet Foundation echoed the need for ongoing youth-led community engagement. The school grounds saw the planting of about 1,200 trees and fruit seedlings, displaying teamwork and dedication to environmental sustainability and future planet protection.

Beyond planting trees in a learning environment, the activity aimed to teach students about environmental conservation, from mere conceptual frameworks to practical application. This was to engrave a deeper sense of obligation to the ecological world around them. The event was also anchored in Strathmore University’s pillar of service to society, where such engagement aligns perfectly with Sustainable Development Goal 4, which promotes quality education, particularly learning that develops competencies, values, and active citizens outside the classroom.

The Seeds4Change project also achieved its goals for Sustainable Development Goal 13 (climate action), showing that schools serve as essential starting points for local environmental actions that promote sustainability. The inclusion of fruit-bearing seedlings connected environmental restoration efforts to the development of nutritional benefits and increased biodiversity, thereby promoting SDG 3: Good health and well-being. In the future, the Seeds4Change project aims to extend economic advantages for the school community through training on environmental entrepreneurship, where environmental club students can be trained on economic opportunities that can arise from taking care of their environment, such as tree nurseries, agribusiness, climate-smart agriculture, value addition, and fruit-farming, among others. Therefore, the tree-planting activity reflected SUNSEP’s broader course of purposeful learning toward building sustainable skills in young people, who are responding actively to the environmental challenges shaping their present and future.

The Lang’ata Boys High School project demonstrates how multiple stakeholder partnerships can implement large-scale sustainability initiatives through their defined roles and active engagement. It is imperative for the younger generation to be empowered to inculcate environmental responsibility, enabling them to become conscious change-makers for a better future.

Article Written by Ian Abuki & Grace Kariiru, project coordinators at SUNSEP Hub- SBS Philanthropy Working Group.