Gertrude Omoro and Peter Steele are Regional Partnerships Fellows in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Read their reflections on working on the AKDN’s micro-forest initiative – since 2018, the AKDN has established over 400 micro-forests in India, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, and Kenya. This micro-forest was the first of its kind in Tanzania.
As the sound of shovels hitting the ground rang through the air, we thought to ourselves: this experience is bigger than just our fellowship – it is about lasting impact.
Over the past few months, we have witnessed, first-hand, the power of micro-forest initiatives to inspire community-led action on climate resilience.
Inspired by the Miyawaki method of densely planting trees to mimic a natural forest in a small patch of land, micro-forests combat climate change by removing carbon dioxide from the environment, replenishing soil nutrients, and improving air quality.
Since 2018, the AKDN has established over 400 micro-forests in India, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, and Kenya. Our micro-forest was the first of its kind in Tanzania.
You can learn more about this initiative on the AKF Learning Hub.
This micro-forest was a collaboration with Ismaili CIVIC, a global program that encourages members of the Ismaili community to volunteer within their communities. It was an opportunity to continue celebrating Global Ismaili Civic Action Day (GICD), following on September 25‘s beach clean-up and mangrove planting, and to build a partnership in the process.
On October 9, over 75 volunteers from different backgrounds, faiths, nationalities, and ages, came together to make a difference and witness pluralism in action. Many reflected positively on seeing the Ismaili community come together in partnership with the Aga Khan Foundation.
For Mr. Nazim Jamal, the experience of planting alongside other volunteers brings back joyful memories of his childhood. “It’s great to see everyone here getting back to the basics – taking time to come out in nature, learning how to plant and harvest food, spending time with family and friends – that is what life is all about!” he said.
By the end of the event, we felt the embrace of Dar es Salaam, and knew that we had fostered community through our shared values.
For us Fellows, the micro-forests are a chance to strengthen a critical bond and to build something sustainable – both for climate resilience and for community engagement.
Building on these collaborations has encouraged us to think about how we engage our partners and demonstrated the power of working in tandem with likeminded organizations. We are proud that our organizations were able to come together, and we know this micro-forest is just the beginning.
Even though we are only in Dar es Salaam for 8 months, the micro-forest has given us the chance to have a more permanent impact. In a rapidly changing world, curating this sense of togetherness is a radical act – one mirrors the spirit of community that is harnessed by AKF’s development programs in Tanzania. The micro-forest initiative is a symbol of community action that will live on through nature.
We are supporting many more micro-forests across Dar es Salaam – including one with the Aga Khan Schools for November 23rd. Together, we are inspiring tomorrow’s climate champions and spreading the magic of micro-forests across Tanzania.
Decades from now, no matter how far we are from the office, we will have left a piece of ourselves in the soil – something ready to be nurtured and grow even stronger in time. Over the years, the trees of this micro-forest will flourish together and transform the ecosystem around it, just like the spirit of community partnership that we sparked through this event.
Read more coverage on the micro-forest planting:
- “Ismaili community renews commitment on climate action” from The Citizen
- “Micro-forests project launched to lessen global warming impacts” from The Daily News in Tanzania
