During the launch of the company’s tree planting season in partnership with Nthunzi Funeral Service at Ekwendeni on Monday, the company’s Regional Administrator for the north Patrick Ngoma said as a responsible business, the company is always committed to creating positive and lasting contributions to both the communities it serves and also the environment by planting trees annually.

“We make sure that we take part in the tree planting season by planting trees and ensuring that the trees planted survive. We do not take these alone as we believe that only through collaboration and partnership with communities and experts, we can achieve preservation, sustainability, and impact of this initiative,” said Ngoma

The company’s subsidiary, Mthunzi Funeral Services whose business revolves around trees as a key raw material for coffins and caskets has also taken responsibility to make sure that trees are restored and preserved for the sustainability of the business and the general wellness of the country’s environment.

Agnes Nyirenda forestry officer for Mzuzu urban applauded the company for the initiative and the special commitment to managing the trees until they survive.

She said the department of forestry is targeting to plant 4.2 million trees in Mzimba district alone and urge other stakeholders to emulate what Old Mutual has done if the target is to be met.

Wildlife Environmental Society of Malawi WESM Chairperson for Mzuzu branch Twalib Tandwe said the harsh climatic conditions the country is experiencing today including floods are results of the damage humans have done to nature such as depleting forest cover, hence more trees need to be planted to restore nature.

Old Mutual and its subsidiary Nthunzi Funeral service have invested K4.5million towards this year’s tree planting initiative and plans to plant a total of fifteen thousand trees, five thousand in each of the three regions.
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leads to deforestation, soil erosion, floods, and even drought problems, just to mention a few. Predictions have shown that at the current rate of forest resource utilization, Malawi’s off-reserve will be exhausted by 2040 – that is in just 18 years.