Meet Sarah, founder of the Kilimanjaro Project, which mobilises rural communities and international cooperation to create a more just and green world! Watch our short interview with Sarah to learn more about her work in Tanzania and what is up next for her projects!
Follow @Y4Nature and @thekiliproject on Instagram for information about Sarah's new project, launching in the coming weeks! They will have a form for volunteers and youth to jump on board and are also looking for corporate support.
Interview Transcript:
Introduction
Joshua: Hello world, Welcome to the May spotlight, and today, we shall be featuring Sarah Scott from Tanzania; founder of the Kilimanjaro project and Kijani Pamoja. Just so start off, Sarah would you briefly tell us about yourself and the Kijani Pamoja project.
Sarah: My name is Sarah Scott, founder of the Kilimanjaro project and Kijani Pamoja which means “green together” in Kiswahili. Today I'm going to briefly share the vision of Kijani Pamoja, and as we gear up for the UN decade for ecosystem restoration, we have our work cut out for us! We’re committed to 10 years (and beyond) to vigorous ecosystem restoration, igniting a youth movement across the continent - calling on everyone to get active - I believe youth have an important role to play in driving systemic change. We need transformation and action, right through from grassroots implementation to policy reform. My dream is to see the Kijani Pamoja, a youth led pan african regreening movement, inspire hearts and minds across the continent to grow forests and regreen our cities, towns, community lands, and riparian zones. The time to act is now!
Impact at Kijani Pamoja
Joshua: Kijani Pamoja has had very great impacts within the Kilimanjaro and Meru areas. Sarah; would you mind speaking briefly about this impact?
Sarah: I’ve been slowly and steadily building the kijani pamoja movement that used to be called Tuje Pamoja. To be honest, when I first started this journey, I had no idea what I was doing, I was just compelled in my belly to act. It’s been a humbling journey, and I've made plenty of mistakes along the way. I used to move so fast, I’m reminded of the african proverb, if you want to go fast, go alone, if you want to go far, go together. I’m so excited to see the youth across Kenya and Tanzania start to unite to help build this movement. Kijani Pamoja!
Hope for the future regarding work at Kijani Pamoja
Joshua: Already very great insights about Kijani Pamoja and its impacts within the Kilimanjaro area. So what plans and hopes do you have for the future at Kijani?
Sarah: We will launch in October 2021 and hope to send out signal fires to Congo, Ghana and South Africa by 2022, and call on our brothers and sisters from the North, South East and West to join hands with us. Building movements is so much about relationships and trust - ecosystem restoration is complex and nuanced, and we are committed to re-greening using science to guide us, hope to motivate us, and unity to bring us all together.
I’d really like to see a flow of financial resources from the Global North to the Global South. Climate change has far reaching repercussions especially on so-called developing countries, But in order for us to do the work that's needed to do, we need global partners to step up, trust us, and build a highway (not just a bridge) that brings in these resources. As a daughter of this continent, my dream is to see a more just green and beautiful Africa, where people and the planet thrive.