By The Arusha News Reporter
This May, Greenmanjaro, in collaboration with Roots & Shoots, Afrisos, Silverleaf Academy, and FTK, will welcome 1,500 students from Roots & Shoots clubs across Tanzania’s Northern Zone to the much-anticipated ‘Kili Kids for Climate’ Festival at Silverleaf Academy in Usa River, Arusha.
Spanning two action-packed days, the festival promises an unforgettable experience filled with interactive workshops, storytelling sessions, climate-themed quizzes, and collaborative activities. Designed to empower young changemakers, the event will equip students with the knowledge, tools, and inspiration to address climate challenges head-on—while fostering creativity, connection, and community spirit.
A major highlight of the festival will be the introduction of the new educational resource, The Future is in Our Hands. Tailored for Tanzanian students aged 13–16, this vibrant 80-page book combines lively illustrations, hands-on activities, and culturally relevant content to teach the fundamentals of climate science and sustainability.
In a bold and inspiring initiative to tackle plastic pollution, Jane Goodall’s Roots & Shoots in Arusha & Kilimanjaro has joined forces with the Greenmanjaro Foundation to launch an innovative plastic recycling and education programme in 60 schools across northern Tanzania.
This extracurricular, school-based project aims to raise awareness among young students about the environmental hazards of plastic waste, while equipping them with hands-on skills in recycling and upcycling. Schools across Arusha and Kilimanjaro now serve as both collection and recycling hubs, offering students direct experience in sustainable waste management.
At the heart of the program are interactive recycling workshops provided by Greenmanjaro. These workshops, tailored for children, feature shredders and extruder machines—designed and built in the Netherlands—installed in schools from Moshi to Arusha and West Kilimanjaro. Under the guidance of Roots & Shoots educators, students are trained to operate these machines safely and effectively.
But the programme goes beyond recycling. Its deeper mission is to cultivate a culture of environmental stewardship. By fostering respect for nature and encouraging the creative reuse of plastic, the initiative empowers students to become environmental ambassadors in their homes and communities. Through imaginative upcycling projects, students transform discarded plastics into practical household items and decorative art.
Regular community clean-up drives, organised in collaboration with local authorities and environmental partners, reinforce the children’s active role in creating a cleaner, greener Tanzania.
“Plastic pollution is one of the greatest environmental threats of our time,” a Roots & Shoots spokesperson commented. “By engaging students directly, we’re not only reducing waste, but also nurturing a new generation of environmentally conscious leaders.”
The programme reflects the core philosophy of Roots & Shoots, founded by renowned conservationist Dr Jane Goodall — to inspire young people to take meaningful action for people, animals, and the planet. The partnership with Greenmanjaro brings this philosophy vividly to life through practical, empowering experiences.
As one student proudly said, “We’re not just fighting plastic—we’re building a better future, and it starts right here at school.”
