WWF, LGAs to revive environment clubs in schools

World Wild Fund for Nature (WWF) Tanzania office and local government authorities have begun a programme to revive environment clubs in all primary and secondary schools in the country.

Forest Programme Coordinator from WWF Country office- Mr Almas Kashindye, made the revelations after tree planting exercise at Bonyokwa Secondary School in Dar es Salaam during the marking of World Tree Planting Day on Tuesday.

The event was attended by officials from Dar es Salaam City Council, students from Bonyokwa and Buyuni secondary schools, local leaders from Bunyokwa area and different environment stakeholders.

“We have already started piloting activities for the programme in the Southern Zone (Ruvuma Landscape) area, whereby five schools are involved in the process,” he said, adding that trees nurseries have started in these schools as part of the programme.

On the other hand, he mentioned that WWF Country office is also supporting government’s initiatives of restoring 5.2 million hectares of vegetation through the African Forest Landscape Restoration Initiative (Afr 100).

Dar es Salaam City Council Environmental Management Officer,  Mr Shabani Yusufu said that the government has been giving much emphasis on the whole issue of environment protection  at all levels, by implementing small and big environmental projects.

“Dar es Salaam City is one of the 40 cities in the World that are implementing the C- 40 Environment Programme. This is the big programme which involves tree planting in city areas with the aim of dealing with the climate change effects”, he stated.

During the event, a waste processing system for Bonyokwa Secondary School built by WWF Tanzania Youth Community was launched.

“Having this system in place means that now we have the proper place for putting solid waste and by that we will be keeping our environment clean”,  said the  Headmistress of the school, Ms Upendo Mgaza.