It’s always a joy to receive news of excited young conservationists, learning and doing new things. Today’s inspiring news came from Paul KIMWAGA, who coordinates a commuity based organisation called KIRUSSO, in the Kigoma Region of western Tanzania.
PACE has provided educational materials to KIRUSSO, for their work with school teachers and Eco-clubs.
“Today I am happy to come back to you again to give you a brief report on the progress of the distribution, reading and use of the PACE books and documents on environment education and conservation.
All books and packages arrived safely. In the beginning, the English language was almost an obstacle for primary schools and also for villagers or community members with lower education levels, but we found members of KIRUSSO did a great job translating.
At the secondary school level, students are very enthusiastic and, together with the teachers, we have started two small environmental conservation micro-projects in two schools: Mungonya Secondary School in Kiganza village and Bitale Secondary School in Bitale village.
The micro-projects concern planting of fruit and shade trees in the school orchard; and creation of small natural parks for the conservation of biodiversity and small animals in the orchards (School Land Forest Reserves).
At the level of Kiganza village, we’re creating a small Community Library which will be mostly equipped with books and documents, publications in the fields of: Environment, Water, Agriculture, Livestock, Fauna, Flora, Fisheries, Sport and Health / Hygiene .
We’re looking forward to online sessions with PACE, and hope this will be a next step in building the technical skills of our young/student conservationists. We also hope to link into the wider PACE network as that can help us expand our ideas and projects.”
KIRUSSO’s work is all about improving the living standard of indigenous communities through:
(1) Education support to vulnerable children,
(2) Environment Conservation and Education;
(3) Health and Nutrition Improvement;
(4) Vocational Training and Entrepreneurship to jobless and unemployed youth living in rural and remote areas.
Environmental Education through fruit and shade trees planting and growing at public primary schools. Our program includes – Training Teachers and Student leaders on environment conservation, reforestation, trees growing & management, school environment education curriculum design and implementation.
Management of Kiganza Village Land Forest Reserve (KVFR), to sensitize, mobilize and involve the local community members in conservation of biodiversity of KVFR. Especially students, village leaders, hunters, beekeepers, charcoals makers and nomadic agro-pastoralists.
Youth Vocational and Entrepreneurship Training skills on Tailoring, Brick-laying, Handcrafting and Biomass Charcoal Briquettes production from the vegetable wastes (to reduce the pressure on the trees from cutting and deforestation).
Campaigns on WASH (WAter Sanitation & Hygiene) at school and in slum areas.