On Saturday, December 9, Standard Bank and the Maputo City Council launched the "Txuna Maputo com o Verde" project in Maputo, which aims to plant a total of 2,056 seedlings of acacias, jacarandas, eucalyptus, casuarinas, fan palms and terminalia along 13,448 linear meters of Maputo's ring road.
The initiative, which is part of the bank's social responsibility program, has the support of the Mozambique Road Network (Revimo) and the Rwandan embassy.
It covers the stretch between the Casa Jovem and Zimpeto traffic circles, up to Marracuene, and aims to ensure the promotion and recovery of Maputo city's tree park in order to mitigate the effects of climate change.
Speaking at the launch ceremony of the initiative, which was marked by the planting of 250 saplings, Standard Bank's Marketing and Communications Director, Alfredo Mucavela, recalled that the bank has already planted more than 15,000 trees in partnership with municipalities, as part of its socially responsible activities.
"We worked with the municipality of Beira to replace the trees affected by Cyclone Idai. We also did a lot of work with the municipality of Maputo, where we planted saplings on Marginal, Joaquim Chissano and Eduardo Mondlane avenues, among others, as well as working with the municipality of Matola. We are very satisfied with the results of our intervention," he said.
For his part, Silva Magaia, councillor for Spatial Planning, Environment and Urbanization of the Maputo City Council, said that the Maputo Circular Road is not just a road for motor vehicles, but also a structure that invites residents to live near it, as well as to walk:
"We hope that the seed we have sown today is a sign that it is possible to turn this road into a green park, particularly on its sides, and thus provide a healthy space for those who walk or exercise on it," he said.
For the chairman of the Board of Directors of Revimo, the concessionaire of the Maputo ring road, Constantino Gode, the planting of trees along the road will contribute to improving the quality of life for residents, as well as "making us all aware of the importance of adopting environmentally sustainable practices and behaviors.
Revimo reaffirms its commitment to continue working with the Maputo City Council and all stakeholders to ensure that this initiative materializes."
The chargé d'affaires of the Rwandan embassy in Maputo, Francis Kagame, also took the floor and said that afforestation was one of the solutions to environmental pollution, rising temperatures and other problems that could affect humanity.
Along Maputo's ring road, he said, the trees now planted will help conserve the soil, protect the streets and contribute to the beauty of Maputo city.
Approached after planting two trees, Pedagogical University student Saugina Castro said: "I left everything this morning and came here to take part in this initiative.
As we can see, walking on the side of the ring road is a punishment, as we are exposed to intense sunlight since there is no shade, a situation that wouldn't happen if there were trees along the sidewalk.
I believe that within the next five years, this suffering will end, since we will have shade, provided by these trees," he concluded.
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