The Aga Khan Schools in Tanzania

The initiative was joined by over 20 students from the school, known as the “Green Champions”, and their parents to help establish the 18-square-metre micro-forest that will contain over 35 different types of trees. The Green Champions are a club at AKMSS, Dar es Salaam with the aim of making the world a more environmentally sustainable place through eco-friendly initiatives. 

“Protecting the Earth starts underground,” said Nikita Gidwani, the creativity, activity and service coordinator at AKMSS, Dar es Salaam. “During this first phase, we are planting over 100 saplings of 35 different types of trees. What looks like a brown space of dirt right now will soon turn into a collection of greenery, which will increase the micro-forest’s biodiversity. From this micro-forest, we hope to see the protection of endemic and indigenous trees and the possibility of receiving food and medicinal plants that can be shared with our local communities.” 

This micro-forest not only represents an opportunity for inter-agency collaboration to enhance the quality of life of the local communities, but the Aga Khan Development Network’s overall commitment to environmental stewardship. 

“We are strong believers in investing in ecology now,” said Diploma Programme 1 student Netsanet Abiyou. “The larger goal is not that this individual project is saving the world, it’s that this individual project will be replicated in more spaces available. It feels insurmountable to do good work.”