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Ignite a passion for greener futures

| 8 September 2021

Konica Minolta Ignite hosts tree planting at Soweto school in Arbor month

Spring has officially sprung and it’s time to welcome back outdoor lifestyle after a cold year that has seen many of us huddled up inside. To celebrate the warmer weather of Arbor Month, Konica Minolta Ignite, an independent subcontractor of Konica Minolta South Africa, with environmental NPO, Food & Trees for Africa, hosted a tree planting event to bring about new growth this September.


Nature & nurture
For a large part of the past two years, the life and learning of many students was restricted to online channels limiting physical interaction. To reintroduce the outdoors and encourage students to disconnect from WiFi and reconnect with nature, Konica Minolta Ignite donated and planted indigenous shade trees at AB Xuma Primary School in Soweto. These trees form part of over 100 trees (including 65 indigenous and 34 fruit trees) which will be distributed to other schools in the area.
 
“It’s been a challenging year for our students, and I am very impressed at their resilience to continue learning despite the continued curriculum interruptions. We thank Konica Minolta Ignite for this symbolic planting, which fosters an opportunity to feel revitalised and ignited,” says principal at AB Xuma Primary, Mr Tsotetsi.
 
Green Forever
Just last year, Konica Minolta South Africa celebrated the planting of the company’s 50 000th tree, planted in honour of the great Nelson Mandela. In celebration of this momentous event, children from AB Xuma Primary gathered at the DOCC YMCA (formerly the Donaldson Orlando Community Centre) and learned how to plant a tree and the benefits of doing so. This Mandela Day, albeit celebrated a little later, was not just about giving 67 minutes, but also about the promise made in 2020 by Konica Minolta South Africa to return to AB Xuma Primary with trees of their very own to shade their playground.
 
“For over a decade, we’ve been dedicated to ensuring that every tree planting event, makes a big impact and is seen as a very special occasion. This one in particular is of great significance as it brings together a renewed sense of hope and showcases to our youth, the need to work in tandem to ensure our environment is faced not only with survival but success. We are  excited to be planting trees at AB Xuma Primary, while assisting in greening the school and making a difference to the environment,” says Manfred Kali, managing director of Konica Minolta Ignite.
 
Kali was accompanied by colleagues, Wesley Ngwenya, sales director and Nonhlanhla Mashinini, operations director, as together they continue the company’s efforts towards a greener tomorrow.
 
To date, Konica Minolta South Africa has planted 57,299 trees across South Africa, offsetting a total of 21,143.54 tonnes CO2e.