Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) and KOICA Alumni Association of Nepal (KAAN) organized a Tree Plantation Program on the occasion of World Environment Day continuing their commitment to conserving the natural environment through tree plantation.

The program was organized on June 03, 2022, at Sri Adarsha Secondary School, Bhadrabas, Danchi which is one of the schools under KOICAs Green School Project. Tree saplings were planted in the vicinity of the school by the team of KOICA Nepal Office, Korea Overseas Volunteers, KAAN executive members, the Management team and students from the Eco Club of Sri Adarsha Secondary School.

Besides, adding greenery to the school the program also supported a flower garden. Seasonal and Perineal flower plants were planted in the garden which will be protected and nurtured by school children under the management of Eco Club. The Gardel was named "ECO Garden" which was named after ECO CIub which was formed under Green School Project initiated in 2021.

KOICA's Gleen School Project has been running in a total of 7 schools in Kageshwori Manohara Municipality and Lalitpur Sub Metropolitan City. It has been very instrumental in promoting waste segregation, recycling and promoting a healthy environment in schools.

At the same time, the project has also provided waste segregation units and colorful classroom bins to motivate the students to learn and do waste management. As the main tree plantation event was organized in one school among seven schools under Green School Project saplings were distributed to other six schools to mobilize their Eco Club in tree plantation aiming to generate a sense of responsibility towards the environment.

The program aimed to initiate some positive environmental actions from the institutions and individual levels as a whole considering the importance of the environment for life on earth. As the tree plantation is a very meaningful action to generate a sense of responsibility towards the environment and school is the place where we can forward a message for environment protection to a future generation and the larger community from where they belong.

The program was attended by KOICA Country Director Sunghoon Ko and all staff, executive members of (KAAN, Korea Overseas Volunteers (KOVs) Sri Adarsha Secondary School Principal Jai Singh Choudhary and 35 eco-club member students.

During the Program, Ko stressed fostering a concern for the environment and its conservation in young minds and making them responsible and enthusiastic to save the world they live in. He states the program is not about a number of saplings. The core objective is to culture of tree plantation and nature care. Educational games around plant's lives and biology, involving students while planting, letting students assume guardianship of each sapling and rigorous follow-up will make it unique.

KAAN Executive Member Nabaraj Gautam also shared that human exposure to green surroundings and vegetation is broadly known to benefit both physical and mental health conditions. Moreover, it can make a difference to their community's carbon footprint. Planting trees is an easy, and long-lasting, way to involve pupils and have a positive impact on the climate. KOICA Nepal Ol1ice is promoting Green ODA in all of its activities and projects since 1991. The environment has been identified as one of the prominent sectors for upcoming KOICAs intervention in Nepal.