Mount Kilimanjaro ice saving move launched

From left: Board of directors for “The Kilimanjaro Project” member Kelvin Twisa, creative environmentalist Sarah Scott and prominent businessman Ali Mufuruki display a khanga during the launch of The Kilimanjaro Project in Dar es Salaam on Thursday. PHOTO|THE CITIZEN CORRESPONDENT

What you need to know:

Ms Sarah Scott launched the initiative – known as “The Kilimanjaro Project” – in Dar es Salaam yesterday during a brief event that was graced by prominent businessman, Mr Ali Mufuruki.

Dar es Salaam. An environmentalist has launched a campaign that specifically seeks to inspire awareness and instill sustainable behavioural change that would save the melting of ice on Mt Kilimanjaro.

Ms Sarah Scott launched the initiative – known as “The Kilimanjaro Project” – in Dar es Salaam yesterday during a brief event that was graced by prominent businessman, Mr Ali Mufuruki.

Speaking, Ms Scott said that the project is an art for change campaign for sustainable futures. It also aims to inspire the climate change awareness and is driven by the vision of better futures for coming generations.

The main goal of the project is to raise awareness, dialogue, and create solutions around sustainable futures and climate change.

It also seeks to support conservation, tree planting, education and social enterprise development in Tanzania by engaging local communities to participate in solutions for creating a climate resistant future. Besides, the campaign will entail fundraising for related projects, conservation, reforestation and water resource management as well as creating active partnerships.

“We’re using Mt Kilimanjaro as an indicator that we are experiencing rapidly changing climates and environmental degradation. Through active partnerships, The Kilimanjaro Project will raise awareness through a communications campaign that will inspire sustainable behavioural change,” she said.

According to her, the project will use Khangas as a tool to send message and raise awareness.

“In an installation planned to take place in October 2018, The Kilimanjaro Project will lay six khangas up the six hiking trails of the mountain, carrying different messages around key aspects of the environment,” she said.

The said the messages include reforestation, waste management, conservation, water stewardship and renewable energy.

She said the six khangas will meet at the top of Mount Kilimanjaro and called on people to come together.

Gracing the event, Mr Mafuruki said the melting of ice at Mt Kilimanjaro could be used to explain how climate change is impacting the globe.

He said in 1987 when he first climbed the mountain, there were footprints of animals including elephants walking around but currently there is none.