Jinja: Centenary Bank, the Catholic Church and Good Forests Foundation Uganda (GFU) have extended their partnership on environmental restoration to Jinja Diocese where they are planting 12,000 trees across Busoga sub region. This is part of a five-year programme that will support the establishment and management of 500,000 trees across Catholic Dioceses in Uganda.
The Jinja Diocese launch, held at Namungalwe, Iganga District brought together the clergy, environmentalists, government officials and the general public to mark the extension of the Cente Green Programme to the Diocese. The Cente Green Programme was officially launched in August 2026 as part of Centenary Bank’s broader sustainability agenda aimed at reducing its environmental footprint and supporting landscape restoration.
Under the partnership, Centenary Bank will support the growing of 100,000 trees annually for five years, starting in 2026, while GFU will provide technical expertise, coordinate implementation and oversee the management and monitoring of the programme. The Catholic Church will provide land and mobilise communities and church members to participate in the establishment and management of the woodlots.
Twelve Catholic Dioceses are participating in the programme in 2026: Kasese, Fort Portal, Kiyinda-Mityana, Masaka, Mbarara, Kabale, Jinja, Tororo, Arua, Nebbi, Moroto and Kotido.Together, Centenary Bank and partners aim to restore approximately 213 acres of land in 2026 through the establishment of well-managed woodlots using appropriate indigenous tree species.
Mr. Robert Kawampe, Centenary Bank Iganga Branch Manager, said the Cente Green Program forms part of the bank’s Environmental, Social and Governance agenda and its commitment to sustainable and responsible banking.
“At Centenary Bank, we are a values-based Bank that recognizes the critical connection between financial services, businesses, communities and the environment in which we operate. It is therefore imperative on us to restore the environment in order to enhance the resilience and prosperity of communities especially vulnerable ones because only then can the bank prosper,” he said.
Fr. Gerald Muto, Chancellor of Jinja Diocese, said the partnership provides an opportunity for the Church to use its land and community networks to support environmental restoration.
“The Church has a responsibility to care for creation and to encourage communities to protect the environment for future generations. Through this partnership, we are putting that responsibility into action by making land available, mobilising our communities and supporting the establishment and care of trees. The programme goes beyond tree planting by focusing on the establishment and long-term survival of the trees. GFU will provide technical guidance on site selection, appropriate tree species, planting, establishment, maintenance and monitoring to improve tree survival and ensure that the investment in the programme delivers lasting environmental benefits.
Mr. Ronald Mwikirize, the Forestry Field Coordinator Good Forestry Foundation said the technical approach would be critical to ensuring that the programme delivers sustainable restoration rather than simply increasing the number of trees planted.
“Successful restoration is about more than putting seedlings in the ground. It requires the right species, right site, proper establishment and continued management. Our role is to bring the technical knowledge, coordination and monitoring needed to give these trees the best possible chance of surviving and contributing to healthy landscapes. By working with the Church and Centenary Bank, we can take this approach to a much larger scale.”
The five-year programme will continue to bring together the Church, Centenary Bank, Good Forest Foundation and participating communities around a common goal of growing healthy forests, restoring degraded land and strengthening environmental stewardship across Uganda.