Centenary Bank Partners with Good Forests Foundation and Kasese District Local Government to plant 5,000 Trees in Kasese District

Centenary Bank, in partnership with the Good Forests Foundation and the Kasese District Local Government, on Wednesday, November 26th, launched a greening initiative aimed at growing 5,000 fruit and timber trees within the Kasese District.
The initiative reinforces Centenary Bank’s deep-rooted commitment to sustainable development, environmental stewardship and community well-being. The joint effort aims to enhance the resilience of the local environment, improve air quality and strengthen the bond between the private sector and the local community.
Speaking at the launch, Emmanuel Otuko, Manager Sustianability at Centenary Bank emphasized the bank’s broader commitment to climate action.
He said, “At Centenary Bank, our core mission has always been deeply rooted in serving and empowering the community. This commitment extends beyond financial inclusion, it embraces the long-term well-being of the environment we all share. We firmly believe that sustainable development is not possible without responsible environmental stewardship. Our planet is our most valuable asset, and preserving it is an investment for future generations. This is why sustainability forms a critical pillar of our operations and strategy.”
Kasese district deputy RDC, Henry Kabiriri (R) planting a tree as Centenray Bank staff look on
This greening initiative is a vital component of the Bank’s sustainability agenda. Centenary Bank is on a mission to achieve its institutional target of planting at least 70,000 trees across Uganda in 2025 with 60,000 trees so far planted in different parts of the country.
Earlier this year, the Bank committed UGX 60 million to the restoration of 20 hectares of degraded Masindi Central Forest Reserve in partnership with the National Forestry Authority.
According to Uganda’s Third Voluntary National Review Report of 2024, while the country has made some progress in increasing forest cover from 9.5% in 2015 to 13.3%, there is still much work to be done to achieve the target of 15% forest cover by 2026.
Officials from Centenary Bank, Good Forests Foundation and Kasese District Local Government launching a tree planting exercise in Kasese district
This recovery is fragile, and continued deforestation could quickly reverse the gains made, leading to severe consequences for Uganda’s people and environment hence the need for interventions to curb the effects.
Mr. James Thembo, Director Good Forests Foundation, highlighted the organisation’s commitment to the initiative. He said, “Our role is to ensure that these 5,000 trees thrive. This project involves carefully selected fruit and timber trees species that will restore local biodiversity and provide long-term benefits to the Kasese ecosystem. We are proud to partner with Centenary Bank, whose commitment ensures the scale and impact of this critical restoration work.”
Centenary Bank staff planting trees in Kasese Municipality
Furthermore, Centenary Bank has already made a visible impact by planting over 60,000 trees nationwide through various prior initiatives.
The Bank’s sustainability efforts extend beyond tree planting. Centenary Bank has also transitioned 6 of its branches to renewable solar energy to reduce dependency on non-renewable power sources, and introduced specialized Water, Sanitation, and Health (WASH) Loans, green loans, solar and power connection loans to finance crucial environmentally friendly community-level projects.
Kasese District deputy RDC, Henry Kabiriri planting a tree
The Ass. Resident District Commissioner of Kasese District, Mr. Henry Kabiriri commended the collaborative spirit of the project and implored Centenary Bank and Good Forests Foundation to get even more stakeholders on board for wider impact.
He further said, “We are grateful to Centenary Bank and the Good Forests Foundation for bringing this crucial initiative to Kasese and thanked the bank for the various Corporate Social Responsibility activities it supports in Kasese and beyond. Environmental sustainability requires collective action, and this partnership provides a significant boost to our local conservation efforts.”
Centenary Bank Sustainability Manager, Emmanuel Otuko planting a tree in Kasese
Centenary Bank, through this initiative, aims to support Uganda’s Vision 2040 of achieve a green economy and clean environment.
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