Uganda’s Little Hands Go Green has joined forces with the Uganda Muslim Supreme Council (UMSC) to plant 2 million trees as part of the UMSC’s 50-plus years celebrations.
The initiative was unveiled by Habib Mustapha, the UMSC National Youth Council Chairperson, during a media briefing with Regional Assistants to the Mufti (RAMs) at the UMSC corporate dinner held at Speke Resort Wednesday evening.
Mustapha emphasized the importance of the partnership with Uganda’s Little Hands Go Green to ensure the success of the program. Addressing the RAMs, Joseph Masembe, team leader and founder of Uganda’s Little Hands Go Green, highlighted the importance of teaching young people about environmental conservation.
“What you implant in them sticks. Planting trees will not only help to protect the environment but also earn us some money. Most of our people stay in town and only come to the village for funerals. I want us to change that practice so that our people come to villages to plant trees. They shouldn’t only come for funerals and then leave,”Masembe stated.
Muhammad Mayambala, Chairman of the Uganda Muslim Chambers of Commerce, urged the RAMs to view the tree-planting campaign from both environmental and economic perspectives.
“This is not just about the environment but also a source of income. We have an MOU with the Ministry of Local Government, which has a lot of resources. That’s why I request you to support this project because it has a lot of funding,”he said.
Mayambala assured participants that the campaign would attract partners such as businessmen, investors, and donors.
“We shall reward those who excel in the campaign. Let’s drum up support for this initiative to maximize its impact,” he added.
Dr. Muhammad Bowa, the RAM for Busoga Muslim Region, pledged to involve all 2,450 mosques in his region in the program.
“I want each mosque to plant at least 10 trees this December as a starting point,” he said.
Sheikh Hamid Busungu, the RAM for Kampala Muslim Region, encouraged fellow RAMs to lead by example, sharing how he had benefited from fruit trees planted during a campaign spearheaded by the Kabaka.
“Tree planting is a significant practice in Islam, as even during war, Muslims are forbidden from destroying trees. We request Sheikh Imran Ssali, the Secretary for Religious Affairs, to provide us with a program, and we will be ready to roll it out,” he added.
The Mufti of Uganda, Sheikh Dr. Shaban Ramadan Mubaje, praised Uganda’s Little Hands Go Green for supporting UMSC and emphasized the importance of planting fruit trees for their triple benefits: environmental protection, food, and timber.
“One of the things that make Uganda the Pearl of Africa is its fertile soils. Let’s embrace this program to protect our environment and reap its other benefits,” Mubaje urged.
He concluded by handing over tree seedlings to the RAMs to kick-start the campaign.
