EMALAHLENI – As South Africa observes Arbor Month, schools and community organisations in eMalahleni are turning environmental awareness into action through a tree-planting initiative aimed at creating greener spaces and encouraging young people to take responsibility for their environment.
The initiative began on Monday, 7 September 2026, at TP Sililo and continued on Thursday, 10 September 2026, at Maloma Secondary School in eMalahleni.
Led by the Kakarambha Foundation in collaboration with Sisonke eMalahleni Service Centre (SESC) Youth, and supported by eMalahleni Local Municipality and other partners, the programme focused on increasing the number of trees in local communities while encouraging learners to become environmental custodians.
The initiative holds particular significance for eMalahleni, a city closely associated with coal mining and energy production. With air pollution remaining an environmental concern, organisers said planting trees was a practical way of contributing towards cleaner and greener communities.
South Africa observes Arbor Month throughout September to raise awareness about the importance of trees and encourage communities to plant and protect them. Trees play an important environmental role by absorbing carbon dioxide, releasing oxygen, providing shade and helping to reduce dust and air pollution.
For learners at TP Sililo and Maloma Secondary School, these environmental lessons were brought to life through their participation in the tree-planting activities.
Thando Masango of the Kakarambha Foundation says the initiative is about creating an environmental legacy that will benefit future generations.
“When we plant a tree, we are not only changing the environment we see today; we are creating cleaner air, shade and a healthier future for the children who will come after us. In a city like eMalahleni, where coal and air pollution are part of our daily reality, every tree we plant is a step towards restoring balance and giving our communities room to breathe.”
The initiative also highlighted that environmental change does not always require large-scale interventions. It can begin with a single tree planted by a learner or community member and nurtured over time.
By taking the programme into schools, the Kakarambha Foundation and its partners are also helping to cultivate environmental responsibility among young people, who will ultimately inherit the consequences of today’s environmental decisions.
For eMalahleni, where coal has played a major role in shaping the local economy, the initiative offers a different vision for the city’s future – one in which environmental responsibility and greener communities become part of its development.
The activities at TP Sililo and Maloma Secondary School have turned Arbor Month from an awareness campaign into a call to action: plant, protect and nurture trees today for a cleaner, greener and healthier eMalahleni tomorrow.
