Meet Meshack Maina a boda boda operator changing the face of Nakuru one tree at a time
Meshack planting a tree seedlings along Ronald Ngala street, Mama Ngina primary school.
Meshack Maina, a Nakuru-based boda-boda driver, is no ordinary rider.
In fact, if you see him in the streets without his motorcycle but with his wheelbarrow, you might mistake him for a Kanjo labourer.
Apart from making sure his customers get to their destinations safely, he is also on a personal mission to ensure that the county meets its target of increasing its carbon footprint through tree planting.
Mtaa Wangu finds Maina on Ronald Ngala Street, pushing a wheelbarrow full of tree seedlings and a watering can.
Meshack Maina sampling tree type to plant from the tree seedlings he bought to plant along Ronald Ngala street.
So how did it all start? Well, according to Maina, his passion for planting trees was ignited in 2016 after a tree he used to shelter from the sun was cut down to pave way for the construction of a road.
Maina, who is also the boda boda chairman at Christ the King Stage, says the loss of the precious shelter he used to get from the tree prompted him to embark on a tree planting journey.
"I started with two saplings at my stage, but they were destroyed by livestock grazing in the town. My dream of increasing tree cover in the town was rekindled when the trees planted by individuals contracted by the county were also destroyed by livestock," he says.
In 2017, he bought the second batch of 15 tree seedlings, including the bishop and jacaranda seedlings, this time determined to nurture the tree to maturity.
"One evening I was sitting at home trying to convince myself to start the tree planting project, even though I had no money with me. The next morning I was out of the house, ready to work and raise money to buy the seedling. After several trips, I managed to raise Sh1,500 and by noon I had bought the seedlings," he says.
The first place he thought of starting his project was at his boda boda stage. This was followed by replacing trees in areas where trees had been planted before and died.
So far, Maina has planted more than 2,000 trees around Nakuru.
"I started by replacing trees in areas where trees had died, but now I plant trees along roads, taking into account the distance from drainage tunnels, building roofs and electricity poles," he reveals.
Christ the king bodaboda chairman Meshack Maina . He has been taking the lead on environmental conservation by planting trees in Nakuru.
He notes that he has not met anyone who has challenged him not to plant trees in the areas he has visited, and is even grateful that the county now supports his course by helping him to obtain tree seedlings.
The trees he has planted range from pine, Nandi flame, jacaranda, avocado, bottle brush and bishop.
"I won't deny that this journey has had its challenges, especially financial. For two years I single-handedly bought the seedlings, water to water the seedlings during the dry season and transport to move the water and seedlings to different locations," he says.
Meshack Maina fetching water at the red cross water point to water his tree seedlings.
Besides being an environmentalist, Maina says he embarked on the project to change the narrative when it comes to bodaboda operators, who are seen as rowdy, law-breakers, not to mention aiding and abetting crime.
"I want to preserve the environment and change the boda-boda narrative one tree at a time," he says.