Meet Sarah Karinga, a police officer from Gilgil with a passion for conservation
Sarah Karinga after she planted a tree at St Mary's police post in Gilgil.
For Sarah Karinga, conservation is about more than planting trees; it's about instilling values in future generations and caring for something that will benefit future generations.
Sarah, a police officer in Gilgil, is on a mission to ensure that every police station in the county plants enough trees within its compound.
Sarah Karinga has been championing for environmental conservation in Nakuru.
"Most police stations have little to no shade from trees, so I took it upon myself to start planting them," she explains.
Her passion for environmental conservation began in her childhood, when her mother entrusted her with caring for an orange tree in her compound.
"We had an orange tree at home and my mother gave me the responsibility of taking care of it. One day my father decided to cut it down and I was heartbroken. I cried most of the day," Sarah recalls.
This early experience sparked a passion for plant care that has stayed with her all her life.
Sarah started a tree nursery in Gilgil, growing seedlings for sale and employing ten people to help run the nursery, later recognising that planting trees was one of the most effective ways to combat climate change and restore biodiversity.
When she was posted to the Gilgil police station, she noticed that there were no trees on the premises. She took some seedlings from her nursery and planted them.
Sarah Karinga at her tree nursery in Gilgil.
"I've planted trees in every police station I've worked at in Gilgil, where it can get very dusty. So far I've planted over 60 trees in three stations," she says.
Sarah has also extended her efforts to the Gilgil Day Secondary School, where she plants trees and teaches students about the importance of protecting the environment.
She notes that she is happy that her efforts have not only impacted the community at large, but also her children, who are now interested in conservation and taking care of the nursery.
At 33, she hopes to raise awareness of the importance of protecting the environment and remains committed to helping communities understand why it is important.