Daraz, the leading online marketplace in Pakistan, is spearheading a plantation drive in Karachi and aims to plant 11,000 trees across the metropolis to help counter the effects of climate change in Sindh. Joining hands with the United Nations Association of Pakistan (UNAP) and Shan Foods, the e-commerce platform has planted more than 70 trees in the past month and will continue its efforts towards improving environmental health in the upcoming monsoon season.
The plantation drive was launched prior to the mega Gyara Gyara sale which drove unprecedented traffic, presenting a unique opportunity for Daraz to engage sellers, partner brands and customers to create change and build awareness regarding the impacts of global warming in the country. Daraz has focused on educating a growing seller base on the effects of climate change and has promised that a certain percentage of revenues earned through the Gyara Gyara sale will be contributed towards the plantation activities.
Earlier this month, the first 11 trees of the season were planted outside Aero Club in Karachi’s Gulshan-e-Iqbal area. On November 26th, 60 more trees were planted in recycled boxes by students at NJW Grammar School in Korangi.
According to a 2019 report by Oxfam, Pakistan is the 7th most vulnerable country to the effects of climate change and the objective of Daraz’s plantation drive is to mitigate the risks through sustainable solutions and contribute towards environmental health not only in Sindh but also at a national level. The initiative also focuses on educating school children about the effects of global warming and the urgent need to fight against them.
“There is an urgent need to take collective action to ensure a better Pakistan for our children. We have taken the initial step and encourage every customer and seller to join hands and actively plan out how they can personally plant trees across Pakistan,” said Ehsan Saya, Managing Director Daraz Pakistan.
“UNAP is joining hands with Daraz and Shan Foods to act against climate change. Planning for a seasonal plantation scheduled to take place in 2020 has already begun. UNAP urges all who can play their part,” said Kulsoom Siddiqui, Manager External Affairs UNAP
UNAP’s expertise has guided Daraz through the plantation drive. In addition to NJW Grammar School, 10 educational institutions are taking part in the plantation drive including Habib University, College of Business Management, Institute of Business Management, Karachi Grammar School, Szabist, Haque Academy, Foundation Public School, British International School, Education Bay, and The City School.
“We, at Shan Foods, have always focused on delivering the best to our consumers. We aim to bring happiness in their lives, and a cleaner, greener Karachi will contribute towards this. Trees play a vital role in our lives and we all need to work together to plant more trees across our city and country, as this is a critical need of the hour. We are thankful to our partners in joining hands with us and working towards this goal collectively” Maria Qureshi, Marketing communications and E-commerce Manager, Shan Foods.
Working in tandem with UNAP and Shan Foods, Daraz is confident that this initial step will grow into larger actions by the e-commerce player to help the environment of Pakistan.
