East African Business Week

KISUMU, KENYA.  The shores of Lake Victoria in Kisumu town are covered in green vegetation known as water hyacinth that is brought about by pollution.
Panasonic Marketing Middle East recently launched the Lake Victoria Catchment Environment Education Programme in Kisumu town, Western Kenya with the aim of protecting the fresh water Lake in East Africa.
In partnership with World Wildlife Fund (WWF), the Panasonic project has been designed to empower the catchment communities, schools and regional partners with the knowledge for sustainable use and management of natural resources around them.
"We have a serious ecological crisis and our biodiversity resources are being degraded by human activity," said Ms. Rubina Haroon, Regional Representative WWF Eastern Africa Regional Programme.
A school from Tanzania, Uganda and Kenya will be transformed into a green model school where students will develop and sustain a green idea. The best green Idea receives an accolade from both WWF and Panasonic.
The schools selected are around the shores of lake Victoria and students will be encouraged to be responsible in protecting the environment. They will also engage in discussions about global warming with children from within and outside the region.
Last year, Panasonic started this initiative under the Eco Ideas Declaration for the Middle East and Africa where the electronics company seeks to become the Number one Green Innovation Company in the Electronics Industry in the Middle East.
"Panasonic is strongly committed to conserving the environment. As a global leader in the electronics industry, it is our duty to ensure a sustainable future. We pledge to reduce Carbondioxide emissions by 15% from our facility and double the sales of our industry-leading environmentally-conscious products in the region," said Mr. Seiji Koyanagi, Managing Director of Panasonic Middle East & Africa.
Most of the electronic companies products have been rated to be harmful to the environment however they have now begun producing some eco-friendly products that are less harmful to the environment.
However the affordability of such products for people in the East African Region is still low and that means they will heavily rely on the used electronic products.
The Lake Victoria Catchment Environment Education Programme is expected to run for the next three years, and is expected to cost $45,000.