By Musis Lwanga
GoldStar Insurance Company Limited has commemorated its 30th anniversary by planting 150 fruit and indigenous trees at Kira Primary School in Wakiso District, reaffirming its commitment to protecting both communities and the environment.
The tree planting exercise, held on July 17, brought together GoldStar Insurance, 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’s corporate social responsibility programme marking its 30th anniversary, celebrated under the theme “30 Years. One Promise.” Since its establishment in 1996, the insurer says it has remained committed to protecting Ugandans, their families, homes and businesses, with the latest campaign extending that promise to environmental conservation.
GoldStar employees joined pupils in planting a mix of high-yield fruit trees—including avocado, mango, guava and jackfruit—as well as indigenous shade species such as Mugavu, Musambya, Ensaali and Entasesa. More than 391 pupils also received practical training in tree planting, care and maintenance from My Tree Initiative Uganda, while the school’s Environmental Club was assigned responsibility for nurturing the trees.
The initiative is expected to deliver both environmental and nutritional benefits. The fruit trees are projected to begin supplementing school meals within the next two to three years, while the indigenous shade trees will help curb soil erosion and reduce flooding around classroom blocks during heavy rains. Once mature, the trees are expected to absorb an estimated three metric tonnes of carbon dioxide annually.
Speaking during the event, GoldStar Insurance Chief Operations Officer Enock Mudadi, who represented the company’s management, said the activity reflected the company’s long-term commitment to Uganda.
“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 of discipline, responsibility and long-term planning that have guided the insurer over the past three decades are the same principles the company hopes to instill in young people through environmental stewardship.
“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.
The project will now enter its second phase, with My Tree Initiative Uganda overseeing tree maintenance, GPS mapping, survival-rate monitoring and continued engagement with the school and surrounding community to ensure the trees thrive.
As part of the celebrations, GoldStar Insurance 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.
GoldStar Insurance Company Limited is a leading Ugandan general insurance company and a member of the Ruparelia Group. The company is celebrating 30 years of providing insurance protection to individuals, families and businesses across Uganda under the anniversary theme, “30 Years. One Promise.”
