The East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) Ltd. has partnered with Rotary International to launch a school-focused sustainability programme in ten districts along Uganda’s oil pipeline corridor. The five-year Green Schools Initiative, backed by a budget of $186,000, will support public schools with environmental infrastructure and climate education, targeting areas directly affected by the construction and operation of the 1,443-kilometre pipeline.
The initiative will be implemented in Hoima, Kikuube, Kakumiro, Mubende, Kyankwanzi, Lwengo, Kyotera, Rakai, Sembabule and Gomba. These districts have experienced both economic opportunity and environmental pressure as a result of Uganda’s emerging oil industry. Through this partnership, EACOP and Rotary aim to address some of the environmental needs in these communities by working through local schools.
Under the initiative, selected schools will receive solar energy systems, rainwater harvesting infrastructure, upgraded sanitation and hygiene facilities, and support for tree planting and food gardens. In addition to improving facilities, the programme will introduce environmental education, with the goal of strengthening understanding of natural resource management and sustainability among students and teachers.
EACOP’s Deputy Managing Director, JB Habumugisha, said the project is part of the company’s broader strategy to contribute to social and environmental development along the pipeline corridor. He explained that focusing on schools allows the project to address both immediate infrastructure needs and long-term environmental awareness. Schools were identified as ideal spaces to promote sustainability because they shape the attitudes and habits of future generations.
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The collaboration also aligns with Rotary International’s growing interest in environmental programming across its regional chapters. According to Rotary District 9213 Governor Geoffrey Kitakule and District 9214 Governor Christine Kyeyune Kawooya, the programme was designed to combine practical improvements to school environments with climate education that empowers children to understand and respond to the environmental issues they face locally.
The programme integrates renewable energy, improved water access, waste management and agricultural learning in a school setting. By doing so, it aims to create real examples of sustainability at the community level—places where students and educators can see the direct link between environmental action and improved living conditions.
This initiative also reflects a broader shift in how infrastructure developers in Africa are expected to engage with local communities. While large-scale energy projects often raise concerns about displacement, pollution and loss of biodiversity, EACOP’s partnership with Rotary shows an attempt to incorporate some form of social return into the development model.
Whether the Green Schools Initiative leads to lasting change remains to be seen, but it offers a starting point for communities grappling with rapid industrial development and limited public investment. By building environmental awareness in schools and providing the infrastructure to support it, the programme could help shape a more informed and engaged generation, one that is better prepared to manage the region’s ecological and economic transitions.
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