Gakenke: SKOL donates over 12,000 trees to help combat malnutrition

Malnutrition remains one of the major challenges hindering Rwanda’s development ambitions, particularly as it contributes to child stunting and negatively affects children’s education and overall well-being. Addressing this issue requires collective efforts from both public and private institutions. It is in this context that SKOL Brewery Ltd, in partnership with FXB Rwanda, launched a tree distribution initiative aimed at helping communities fight malnutrition while also protecting the environment. The initiative falls under a programme titled “Promoting Food Self-Sufficiency to Improve Community Livelihoods.” Through this programme, 2,300 households from the districts of Gakenke and Nyabihu are expected to receive 23,868 seedlings that will contribute to combating malnutrition and environmental degradation in Rwanda’s Northern and Western Provinces. Overall, the seedlings to be distributed under the programme include 13,725 fruit trees intended to improve household nutrition, as well as 10,143 agroforestry trees that will help prevent soil erosion and support environmental conservation. On May 21, 2026, SKOL Brewery Ltd and FXB Rwanda officially launched the initiative in Kivuruga Sector, Gakenke District, where 12,407 trees were distributed during the first phase. The programme is expected to continue in Nyabihu District in the coming days. The Director of FXB Rwanda, Emmanuel Kayitana, said each selected household will receive around 10 trees. “Each household will receive approximately 10 trees so that families can have direct access to fruits without necessarily purchasing them from the market, enabling them to achieve sufficient fruit consumption at household level,” he said. He also thanked SKOL Brewery Ltd for partnering in the initiative, describing it as an important solution in addressing malnutrition and environmental challenges in the targeted districts. The Head of Corporate Social Responsibility and Public Relations at SKOL Brewery Ltd, Emilienne Benurugo, said the initiative was introduced to support communities in addressing key social challenges affecting them. “We appreciate SKOL’s leadership for continuously supporting government programmes aimed at improving the welfare of Rwandans. SKOL is a company operating in Rwanda and employing Rwandans, which is why we believe the impact of what we do should benefit the wider community by helping address challenges such as malnutrition and other social issues,” she said. The Vice Mayor of Gakenke District in charge of Economic Development, Aimé François Niyonsenga, urged residents to properly care for the trees in order to achieve the expected results. “I encourage you to take good care of these trees, maintain them properly, and ensure they are protected so that they can deliver the intended benefits,” he said. He added that beyond helping to fight malnutrition, the trees would also contribute significantly to environmental protection in Gakenke District, an area characterized by steep hills and frequently affected by natural disasters. “Planting trees will help reduce soil erosion and improve agricultural productivity, which has often been affected by disasters that regularly impact our district,” he noted. Consolate Akingeneye, a resident of Gasiza Cell in Kivuruga Sector, said the community has long faced child stunting challenges, but expressed optimism that the fruit tree seedlings would help reduce the problem. “We truly needed this support because when a child eats a balanced diet complemented by fruits and nuts, they are able to grow healthy,” she said. According to the 2025 Rwanda Demographic and Health Survey (DHS 7), the child stunting rate in Gakenke District stands at 26 per cent.

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Gakenke: SKOL donates over 12,000 trees to help combat malnutrition