GoldStar Insurance Company Limited has partnered with My Tree Initiative Uganda and five Rotary clubs to plant 150 trees at Kira Primary School in Kira Town, Wakiso District, as part of efforts to promote environmental conservation and community sustainability.
The tree-planting activity was conducted under the project "Planting and Protecting Trees in Schools Across Kira Municipality" and brought together GoldStar staff, pupils, environmental advocates and members of the Rotary Clubs of Namugongo, Bukerere, Bweyogerere Central, Kyambogo and Kira.
The initiative forms part of GoldStar's corporate social responsibility programme during its 30th anniversary celebrations under the theme "30 Years. One Promise."
Since its establishment in 1996, GoldStar said it has remained committed to protecting what Ugandans have worked hard to build -- including their families, homes and businesses -- while extending that commitment to protecting the environment that supports these livelihoods.
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During the exercise, GoldStar employees joined pupils in planting high-yield fruit trees, including avocado, mango, guava and jackfruit, alongside indigenous shade tree species such as Mugavu, Musambya, Ensaali and Entasesa.
More than 391 pupils received practical training from My Tree Initiative Uganda field teams on tree care, watering and maintenance. The school's Environmental Club has also been assigned responsibility for monitoring and caring for designated tree zones.
The fruit trees are expected to contribute to school meals within 24 to 36 months, while the shade trees will help control soil erosion and reduce flooding around classrooms during heavy rains. Once fully grown, the trees are projected to absorb approximately three metric tonnes of carbon dioxide annually.
Speaking at the event, GoldStar Insurance Chief Operations Officer Enock Mudadi, who represented the company's management, said the tree-planting initiative reflects the company's long-term commitment to communities.
"For 30 years, GoldStar has stood with Ugandans through storms, fires, floods and uncertainty. Insurance is, at its heart, a promise about the future -- and there is no more honest way to invest in the future than to plant a tree with a child and commit to seeing it grow. These 150 trees are our promise to this community, planted in the ground," Mudadi said.
He added that the project was not only about planting trees but also about encouraging a culture of environmental responsibility among young people.
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"We did not come to Kira Primary School only to plant trees; we came to plant a culture of stewardship. As we mark thirty years, our commitment is unchanged: we will keep protecting Ugandans, their families and their businesses for the next thirty years and beyond," he said.
The project will now move into its second phase, where My Tree Initiative Uganda will oversee tree maintenance, survival-rate tracking, GPS mapping of planted sites and regular monitoring visits, while continuing to engage the school and surrounding community.
GoldStar also recognised the pupils' role as custodians of the trees by providing them with branded school bags, T-shirts and learning materials.
