Bolt, an on-demand transportation platform in Africa, has entered a long-term partnership with Seed Balls Kenya with a goal of planting over 11 million indigenous trees and unique grass species in degraded areas across the country.
An initiative that aims at enabling the production and distribution of 25 tons of indigenous seeds (an equivalent of 11.25 million trees) to sullied lands that is the arid and semi-arid areas across Kenya, where natural reforestation is unlikely to occur or deforestation has occurred.
With the support of other NGOs that work with the Seedballs team to distribute and disperse the seed balls, the initiative is considered one of the major ones ever with a vision so eco-friendly.
Some of the partners who will be a part of this include; South Eastern Kitui University, Kibwezi Well Wishers, Save The Giraffes Now, Kijabe Forest Trust, Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, Kampour Travel Foundation, Mother Earth Network, Eden Project, and Big Life Foundation.
Natalia Gutiérrez, Bolt’s Head of Sustainability, remarked that Bolt is built on a culture of operating in the most efficient way possible and applying those values how to mitigate its own environmental impact.
Hence handpicking a selected number of projects where collaboration with NGOs and other partners is close on local initiatives assures confidence there will be maximizing of the positive impact on the environment.
That it is an honor as Bolt to announce the partnership with Seedballs Kenya as the first project of this kind to be investing in and looking forward to seeing the difference it will make in areas of Kenya where reforestation was unlikely to occur naturally.
Since 2019 Bolt has been mitigating its environmental impact by investing in projects primarily focused on renewable energy and resource conservation. The Seedballs project marks an evolution in Bolt’s strategy by supporting local initiatives to generate better environmental impacts.
Teddy Kinyanjui, Co-Founder of Seedballs Kenya, urged that In Kenya, like many other countries, the forests and grasslands are under great pressure.
One of the many challenges of landscape-scale restoration is that indigenous seeds are often food for different types of animals like mice and birds, which is why the Seedballs program does the coating of native seeds in waste charcoal dust which prevents the seeds from being eaten.
Adding that this means the native grass and tree seeds can be planted year-round rather than waiting for the rainy season. When it rains enough, the charcoal dust dissolves and the seed sinks into the ground back to its natural state, ready to grow.
Bolt has progressively invested in innovative ways to reduce its ecological footprints as a company both globally and locally towards achieving its mission to support Sustainable Transport.
Already, Bolt has built long-life e-scooters that are lightweight, and safe to use in Europe. Bolt has also made its scooter operations climate positive through offsetting.
Through the introduction of the Bolt Green category in Nairobi, an initiative that consists of hybrid and electric cars, to reduce emissions during trips taken on the platform, aiming at offering greener ways to move within the city.
The company has in addition introduced electric tuk-tuks, and e-bicycles on the platform to expand greener transport options in Kenya for its food category.
Micah Kenneth, Regional Manager, Bolt East Africa, spoke on the continuation to invest in programs that benefit our customers and the communities in which we operate.
Being arguably one of the largest ride-hailing service providers in this market, a partnership like this is very significant for a company whose operations play a role in environmental pollution.
A conclusion that this shows a commitment to becoming a greener company and helping the government achieve its goal of over 10% tree cover by end of 2022.
Part of the SDG’s goals was to champion a sustainable environment by assisting in nature restoration with the aim of going green as stated by the regional manager of Bolt East Africa, the forest cover is now at 7% we have to keep going up.
majorly proving that Bolt is well on its way to balancing the carbon emissions of our rides in all our markets, including Kenya. This is a long-term engagement, and we hope to grow it beyond our borders
A partnership is crucial as this when the world is urging businesses, governments, and communities to step up their efforts and investments in natural processes, through emerging green technologies, and innovative thinking to restore the world’s ecosystems.
Since the issue of global warming keeps ringing in minds as the adverse effects are so evident hence a plea to each and everyone to step in the fight against high emissions, deforestation, and harmful waste management.
Bolt aims to support this call by investing both in long-term and short-term projects that will provide solutions to climate change and still enable it to fulfill its core mission of providing convenient, safe and affordable mobility solutions to people around the world.
The National Environmental Trust Fund (NET Fund) representative also supporting the initiative stated the project is of importance to the citizens. Committing to not only talking about improving our environment but also being willing and ready to partner in actualizing the goal of regreening.
The UNHCR representative praised the regreening project and named
other places, especially refugee camps like Kakuma are in dire need of such projects as this with the hope that the future is for the provision of equity to all.
