Green or Brown, which way ?

Grasses form the smooth ground cover, and living carpets, of the environment. The green cover thus gives us the surrounding its great splendor. Nonetheless, it's quite ironic to find most institutions, homes or even parks lack grass cover. The argument is that grass cover is a relic of ancient times. Could this be the real case? Should we say that grass is a bad plant? Absolutely not! Properly maintained grass-cover, lawns, form the best ground cover for many situations. As the grasses grow, they help stabilize the soil and reduce air pollution, dust, and glare. In that regard, it is right to assert that well-diversified grass cover is not only an aesthetic element of the environment but also an important aspect of human health.

Grass planting at Maono space

This is the reason we are lobbying for the creation of mini-parks around the schools and parks in Kilifi County.  It's a sorrowful state that the community around do prefer dry ground with no grass around their surrounding. We have launched a campaign aiming for the greening of the bare land. This has been instigated by the fact that during dry seasons a lot of dust is carried by the wind. The added particles in the earth's atmosphere have many effects. This includes:

• Respiratory problems.

• Eye irritation

• Dust carries bacterias and virus which causes infections

• The inhaling of fine dust particles causes cardiovascular problems.

• Rubbing off paint

• Damaging electronic devices.

• Contribute to climate change.

• Cause global warming.

Through our visits to schools, we noted that the trees we plant will take at least a few years to grow and provide shade, however, if we plant grass it is going to cover the bare land and protect the learners from the excess dust particles in the air. We, therefore, introduced grass planting and flower planting in the institution. 

In Kakuyuni boys where are happy to plant trees at the parade square which has taken over 50 years without any vegetation cover. Through partnering with the school environmental club we have been able to plant pant buffalo grass in various parts of the school. During our last check-up visit, we found the students with watering cans marking sure that every grass planted had been taken care of. This is the true definition that the young ones only need to be given the direction and the way to it. After that, they will take the mantle from that point and keep soldering on.

One of the green spaces 

The places we have greened will be used as learning aids. Different subjects will make pluck cards and erect them at the different squares of the gardens. As the students rest on the fresh grass they can read the short notes written on the cards. Making the students continue learning even as they take a rest.

Through collaboration with the Lit Initiative in Malindi Kenya we have done the greening of the Maono space in which our offices are located. This gives the space an environmentally friendly look and it can motivate anyone who comes to the space to emulate it at their home and workplaces. This is a practical way of creating awareness about greening our ground to reduce dust in the air thus reducing the rate at which persons suffer from respiratory diseases.