NCBA Bank Plants More Than 20,000 Trees through its Change the Story – Badilisha Simulizi initiative.

DAR ES SALAAM:  NCBA Bank has supported the planting of more than 20,000 trees across the country in 2026, following a final exercise involving 3,000 trees at Somangira Secondary School in Kigamboni, Dar es Salaam.

The exercise, conducted in partnership with the Tanzania Environment and Empowerment Movement (TEEMO), marks the conclusion of the bank’s 2026 tree-planting campaign under its Change the Story – Badilisha Simulizi initiative.

The campaign has covered four locations, including Arusha, Kisarawe, Zanzibar and Dar es Salaam. More than 2,000 trees were planted in Arusha, over 2,000 in Kisarawe, while Zanzibar received more than 13,000 mangrove seedlings. The latest exercise added 3,000 trees in Kigamboni.

Speaking during the exercise, NCBA Bank Tanzania Managing Director, Alex Mziray, said environmental conservation was an important part of the bank’s responsibility to the communities it serves.

“NCBA believes responsibility extends beyond banking services. As we empower individuals, businesses and communities to achieve their goals and aspirations, we also recognise the importance of protecting the environment that makes those achievements possible. Through Change the Story – Badilisha Simulizi, we are taking practical steps to contribute to a greener and more sustainable future for Tanzania,” he said.

Mziray added that partnerships with environmental organisations and community institutions were important in supporting conservation efforts and ensuring that environmental initiatives delivered lasting benefits.
TEEMO Director, Winfrida Shonde, said environmental conservation required collective action and continued commitment, noting that planting trees was only the beginning of the process.

“Environmental conservation requires collective responsibility and sustained action. Through our partnership with NCBA, we are demonstrating how organisations and communities can work together to restore the environment and create lasting impact. Beyond planting trees, it is important to ensure that they are properly cared for and protected so they can grow and deliver long-term environmental benefits. Engaging schools and young people is also an important step towards nurturing a generation that understands and values environmental conservation,” she said.

The partnership has also extended to Zanzibar, where more than 13,000 mangrove seedlings were planted in Muyuni A Shehia, South District, Unguja, under the Mkulima wa Mwani, Balozi wa Mazingira initiative.

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Mangroves play an important role in protecting coastal areas, supporting marine biodiversity and sustaining the livelihoods of communities, particularly seaweed farmers who depend on healthy coastal ecosystems.
NCBA said it would continue to emphasise the maintenance and protection of planted trees to improve their survival and ensure that the initiative delivers long-term environmental benefits.

Through its Change the Story – Badilisha Simulizi campaign, the bank continues to support environmental conservation and community-based initiatives aimed at promoting sustainable development.