Soweto residents from Braamfischerville Extension 13 received 444 trees, thanks to a joint initiative between vehicle and asset finance specialist WesBank, and Food & Trees for Africa (FTFA).

Braamfisherville was built in 2005 when Alexandra residents were moved there after the blasting of the Juskei River caused flooding and damaged many homes. The township has grown and now encompasses almost 2 500 low cost houses, for a mostly unemployed community. These Wesbank trees were distributed from the new Ikusasalethu Secondary School. WesBank staff members, Councilor Msedo of Ward 44 and the team from FTFA handed out and planted the 444 trees for the excited and grateful residents.

Johan Keet, Business Head of WesBank’s Agriculture Finance division, commented, “The new trees will provide much needed shade for the residents, will help to settle the dust and will assist to develop leafy more habitable suburbs and a greener future for the residents of Soweto.”

The Wesbank “Tractors for Trees” initiative was launched in the Agriculture Finance division of WesBank nine months ago. A percentage of every new finance transaction written by the division goes towards sponsoring trees and train community members for residents of low income settlements across South Africa.

The “Tractors for Trees” initiative demonstrates WesBank’s commitment to environmental awareness and sustainable community upliftment”, concludes Keet.

The 444 trees, as well as the community training, were provided by social greening enterprise FTFA as part of their Trees for Homes programme. FTFA has been greening South Africa since 1990 and has already distributed over 4 million trees, with  support from many sponsors.