By Solomon Mensah & Serwaa Opoku
Rotary E-Club of Ghana stands as a beacon of environmental stewardship, committed to preserving sustainability both at home and abroad. From the lush landscapes of Ghana to the coastal shores of the UAE; the club’s dedication to greening the planet knows no bounds.
After four years of the launch to plant 1 trillion trees by 2030 at the Davos Forum, various countries and organizations pledged to support the cause to safeguard the environmental ecosystem and reduce climate change. Indeed, it is hardly rare these days to monitor the news across the globe without hearing or seeing a story on the impeding effect of climate change and various public calls for faster action.
So, in June 2023, amidst rising global temperatures and alarming deforestation rates, it came as no surprise when the Rotary E-Club of Ghana embarked on a tree planting exercise at Accra High School, highlighting their determination to combat climate change’s devastating impacts. Supported by Rotary International’s directive, Dr Kobby Appiah-Sakyi, the Service Project Chair emphasized that, “What we have done here today is a small representation of what Rotary does around the entire world. The tree planting exercise is basically sowing little seeds and with time, as we nurture them, they will grow into something bigger in the community”.
In 2024, the club has continued its efforts, alongside the Rotary Club of Accra Spintex and other Rotary Clubs and benevolent organizations to orchestrate a successful beach clean-up and coconut tree planting event at the Regional Maritime University. This event furthered the club’s commitment to environmental preservation and served as a platform for community bonding and action.
Building upon their local efforts, the Rotary E-Club of Ghana ventured beyond borders through its Club President, Ms Efua Abasewah Dougan, to participate in a mangrove tree planting activity with the Rotary Club of Jumeirah at Ajman, UAE. This initiative aligned with the UAE’s Today for Tomorrow initiative and COP27 pledge to plant one hundred million mangrove trees to bolster forest coverage and capture 115,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions yearly.
The Club President, Ms Dougan, expressed the belief in the transformative power of collective action and that these endeavours underscored the club’s unwavering commitment to greening their communities and nurturing a sustainable future for generations to come.
Looking ahead, Rotary’s commitment to environmental preservation remains steadfast. These collective endeavours exemplify the power of global collaboration in safeguarding our planet’s ecological integrity and fostering sustainable communities.
