According to a report by UNICEF young people below the age of 30 years account for 70% of Tanzania’s population, estimated to be about 60 million people. This growing population accounts for a large percentage of Tanzania’s workforce and therefore calls for their engagement and participation in various acts of development, active citizenship and empowerment. On 21st September, 2022, Global Peace Women in partnership with other organizations including Global Peace Foundation Tanzania, The United Nation Information Centre (UNIC) Dares Salaam, The UN International Organization for Migration (IOM), Jane Goodall’s Roots and Shoots, Global Network of Religions for Children (GNRC), Youth of United Nations Association (YUNA), Dodoma Youth Development Organization (DOYODO), Peace Legal Aid and Justice Centre – PLAJC, Elimika Wikiendi and Bridge for Girls Welfare among others engaged 300+ youths and their families in a tree planting activity aimed at mitigating the effects of climate change and promote peace in Tanzania.
The project which was a Global Women Dream (GWD) Grant March 2022 Cycle recipient aimed at promoting cooperation and experience sharing between peacekeepers, peace builders and peace enforcers in the region. The GWD grant is a joint initiative of Global Peace Women and Service for Peace Korea which provides opportunities for Women to develop their leadership capacity and initiate their own project.
Highlighting her passion to enact social change by contributing to youths’ understanding of peace for community development, Irene Ishengoma, the project leader said,
“We sought to renew the commitment of families, the media and civil societies in promoting peace and shed a light to the masses on the relationship between peace and global issues like climate change and community development.”
Prior to the tree planting exercise, the project implementation team had carried out a social media and mass media engagement campaign between the months of August and September. They reached out to over 60,000 people through media outlets including stations like ITV, Capital TV/Radio, Radio One stereo, UN radio, TBC Fm, TBC Tv, Star TV, Clouds TV, and social media platforms like including Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Zoom. The team also performed an educational outreach in the same period to both schools and out of school youths reaching a total of 313 persons. Among the schools they reached out to included Old Moshi Boys Secondary School, Napuka Primary school and Kitowo primary school.
The project encouraged students and their families to plant trees together for peace, volunteerism and climate action. The families planted 100 trees and seeds of peace and service in their homes.
“Families were equipped on various ideas of building a culture of service in peace building, major means of improving relationships among them and solving their family and community problems. Climate action is a collective action hence through the tree planting activity in Kilimanjaro, we created a platform for the community to participate,” Irene added.
Mama Shayo who was a participant in the project was grateful for the opportunity to serve. She said, “I have been teaching my children about solving conflicts, appreciating each other, teamwork as well as helping others, little did I know that I was building the spirit of building peace within their minds and souls and those around them. Thanks, team for opening up my eyes so that I can act as sunshine by doing more via sharing this knowledge and experience; even to my neighborhood. I now realize the importance of working together to solve our existing local conflicts and challenges that deteriorate even our peace of mind.”