MWANZA: VIA Green Initiative has reinforced its commitment to environmental conservation and community engagement by handing over 100,000 trees to Kwimba District in Mwanza Region.
The initiative aims to promote reforestation, conserve biodiversity, and enhance climate resilience, taking vital steps toward a sustainable future while supporting Tanzania’s national environmental policies and global climate action goals.
VIA Green Initiative is the environmental sustainability arm of VIA Aviation, dedicated to promoting reforestation, biodiversity conservation, and climate resilience.
The trees provided include shade trees, fruit trees, and those for preventing soil erosion.
Among the trees, 1,500 trees were planted at Hungumalwa Secondary School by the school’s students.
During the handover ceremony at Hungumalwa Secondary School on Wednesday last week, the VIA Aviation Company Founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Ms Susan Mashibe emphasised the critical role of reforestation in combating climate change, preserving biodiversity, and ensuring a sustainable future for Kwimba and Mwanza as a whole.
“As we are handing over 100,000 trees to Kwimba District Council we are taking another crucial step toward our ambitious goal of planting 1 million trees in the region.
Already, we have successfully planted trees at the Mwanza Airport and in Magu District and we are committed to extending this initiative to all remaining districts of Mwanza Region and beyond,” Ms Mashibe stressed.
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Ms Mashibe noted that the VIA Green Initiative programme aimed to plant trees to help combat climate change, improve air quality, and protect ecosystems by providing habitats for wildlife. Saying “trees contribute to the long-term health of our planet by reducing soil erosion, conserving water, and replenishing oxygen levels.
She noted that Kwimba District is now an essential part of her mission, following successful tree-planting initiatives at Mwanza Airport and Magu District.
“This is more than just planting trees—it’s about creating a lasting impact. The trees we plant today will provide shade, protect against soil erosion, contribute to cleaner air, and serve as a sustainable resource for future generations.
This is our collective responsibility and together we can make Kwimba and the entire Mwanza region a model for environmental conservation,” Ms Mashibe stressed.
Furthermore, she said that the initiative was not just an environmental project but it is a mission, a movement, and a legacy that they are all encouraged to take part in.
She said the initiative is also an open testimony of the highest commitment level by the management, shareholders, customers and friends of VIA Aviation to the wellbeing and socio-economic development of the community in Kwimba.
As the trees planted will protect the environment, provide assorted fruits, food and shade to the members of the school community and beyond, help in making Kwimba District and the rest of Mwanza Region greener, safer and pleasant to live in as well as facilitating the rain formation process.
Meanwhile, she said trees will keep the region from soil erosion and unpleasant winds.
The Kwimba District Commissioner Mr Ng’wilabuzu Ludigija commended VIA Green Initiative’s contribution, stating that Kwimba District is committed to ensuring the survival and maintenance of the trees planted.
He urged the local community, including students and teachers, to take ownership of the initiative by nurturing the trees for long-term environmental and economic benefits.
“Tree planting alone is not enough. We must nurture, protect, and maintain these trees to ensure their survival and longevity,”the DC stressed.
Through partnerships with government institutions, local communities, and environmental organizations, VIA Green has committed to planting one million trees across Mwanza.
