Wakiso, Uganda: GoldStar Insurance Company Limited marked its 30th anniversary by planting 150 fruit and indigenous trees at Kira Primary School in Wakiso District, reaffirming its commitment to environmental conservation and community development.
The tree-planting exercise, held on July 17, was undertaken in partnership with My Tree Initiative Uganda and the Rotary Clubs of Namugongo, Bukerere, Bweyogerere Central, Kyambogo and Kira under the project, Planting and Protecting Trees in Schools Across Kira Municipality.
The initiative forms part of GoldStar Insurance’s corporate social responsibility programme as the company celebrates three decades of operations under the theme, “30 Years. One Promise.”
Since its establishment in 1996, GoldStar says it has remained committed to protecting Ugandans, their families, homes and businesses, adding that the anniversary campaign extends that promise to safeguarding the environment.
During the exercise, GoldStar employees worked alongside pupils to plant high-yield fruit trees, including avocado, mango, guava and jackfruit, as well as indigenous shade tree species such as Mugavu, Musambya, Ensaali and Entasesa.
More than 391 pupils also received practical training in tree planting, maintenance and environmental stewardship from field teams of My Tree Initiative Uganda.
The school’s Environmental Club has been assigned responsibility for maintaining designated tree zones to ensure the long-term survival of the trees.
According to the organisers, the fruit trees are expected to begin supplementing school meals within the next 24 to 36 months, while the indigenous shade trees will help reduce soil erosion, improve the school environment and mitigate flooding during heavy rains.
Once mature, the trees are projected to absorb approximately three metric tonnes of carbon dioxide annually, contributing to climate change mitigation.
Speaking during the event, GoldStar Insurance Chief Operations Officer Enock Mudadi, who represented the company’s management, said the initiative reflects the company’s long-standing commitment to protecting both people and the environment.
“For thirty years, GoldStar has stood with Ugandans through storms, fires, floods and uncertainty. Insurance is, at its heart, a promise about the future, and there is no more honest way to invest in the future than to plant a tree with a child and commit to seeing it grow. These 150 trees are our promise to this community, planted in the ground,” Mudadi said.
He added that the values that have enabled GoldStar to thrive over the past three decades are the same values required to protect the environment for future generations.
“The same discipline that has made GoldStar a strong and stable insurer for three decades, keeping our word, paying claims promptly and planning for the long term, is the discipline these young people showed us today. We did not come to Kira Primary School only to plant trees; we came to plant a culture of stewardship. As we mark thirty years, our commitment is unchanged: we will keep protecting Ugandans, their families and their businesses for the next thirty years and beyond,” he said.
GoldStar also donated branded school bags, T-shirts and learning materials to participating pupils in recognition of their role as custodians of the newly planted trees.
The initiative now enters its second phase, during which My Tree Initiative Uganda will oversee continuous maintenance, monitor tree survival rates, conduct GPS mapping of the planting sites and carry out regular follow-up visits in partnership with the school and surrounding community.
The tree-planting campaign aligns with Uganda’s broader environmental conservation agenda, which encourages public and private sector institutions to increase tree cover, restore degraded ecosystems and promote climate resilience through community-based initiatives.
GoldStar Insurance Company Limited, a member of the wealth Ruparelia Group Conglomerate, has grown into one of Uganda’s leading general insurance companies, providing insurance solutions to individuals, families and businesses across the country.
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