Mwanza city is a fast growing town in Africa and home of about half a million dwellers, located on the southern shores of Lake Victoria in Northwest Tanzania.

Historically the Lake Victoria shores were fringed by extensive papyrus dominated wetlands and dense forest patches of tropical rain forests, which characterized many of the islands as well as lager sections of the catchments area. Much of the forests, vegetation cover and wetlands, especially on mainland catchments, were severely degraded through excessive use of resources by a rapidly raising human population (estimated at about 30 million in the late 1990?s). The threats facing the lake include among others Eutrophication, over-exploitation of fisheries, water pollution, deforestation, erosion, and climate change. These changes together with the decline in water quality are cause for concern regarding sustainability of fish production, probably the most important resource from Lake Victoria.

Children?s Health and Environment Caretakers/Jane Goodall Institute Roots & Shoots Program Mwanza, is addressing these problems by engaging young people in schools and the regional community in environmental clubs. These environment clubs are implementing great projects such as tree planting, clean up campaigns, communicating through media, and teaching wildlife and ecosystem protection using the lake?s otters as an ambassador species.   The initiative?s objectives are to teach habitat conservation and sound resource management to the youth of Tanzania. The program is designed to encourage the sharing of ideas and experiences as a means of fostering leadership and responsibility towards maintaining and enhancing a clean environment for a green sustainable economy.