Environmental Education

Participating Primary Schools

Pawaga Division:

Luganga

Magozi

A FORS school since March 2006, Magozi has a large number of Masai and Gogo among its 350 students, and there are eight teachers. There is no water source at the school, so bringing water from the village is a problem, especially in the dry season from July to December.

Ilolo Mpya

This is the largest and oldest school in Ilolo Mpya Ward, with 480 students and six teachers. They joined FORS in March 2006. There is no water source at the school; students must walk half an hour to the river to get water.

Mkombilenga

This is a small school that only has students in Standards I, II and III and joined FORS in March 2006. There are only three teachers at the school, but they have made sure that every student has his or her own personal tree seedling complete with nametag!

Mbuyuni

Mbuyuni is a small school that joined FORS in November 2006 and has students in Standards I-IV and four teachers. Despite their young age, the students do wonderful work on environmental issues and teachers like to use outdoor activities because they know their students will learn more through interactive learning. Their school compound is clean and well organized, with separate pits for degradable and non-degradable trash.

Kimande

A FORS school since November 2006, Kimande is located in a big village and has eight teachers and 400 students, so classes are split into two streams. Although there is a well at the school, it doesn't work very well and drought is a big problem.

Itunundu

Itunundu Primary School is the biggest school in Pawaga Division with about 650 students and thirteen teachers. Since joining FORS in November 2006, they have made significant improvements in the cleanliness of their school compound and the quality of their teaching.

Msolwa

Msolwa joined FORS in November 2006, and has 250 students and three teachers. They are currently building a new school with a bigger compound that will allow them to plant a tree nursery, something the students and teachers are very excited about.

Mbolibol

A FORS school since November 2006, Mboliboli is located about 12km from the main Pawaga road. The area is very dry throughout most of the year, mainly due to desertification caused by overgrazing. There is a significant population of pastoralist tribes. There are 715 students and five teachers.

Kinyika

Kinyika Primary School is in a very remote area and has 600 students and six teachers. The village is close to Ruaha National Park and has its own Wildlife Management Area. They joined FORS in November 2006.

Isele

Isele, a FORS school since November 2006, is the closest Pawaga school to Ruaha National Park . The Head Teacher, Mr. Bellington Mhango, has been there for ten years and is a leader in the FORS program. The six teachers and 500 students do excellent work both in class and in the school compound. Although they do not have a well, they manage to keep their flowers and trees regularly watered, students make trash cans out of natural materials, and there are two separate pits for degradable and non-degradable trash.

Kisanga

Kisanga is close to Ruaha, has its own Wildlife Management Area, and joined FORS in November 2006. This school has 300 students and four teachers and is located in the very remote area. The Head Teacher, Mr. Pascal Mgelekele, has been involved in FORS' EE program for many years and continues to be an important partner in our expansion to Pawaga Division.

Magombwe

A FORS school since November 2006, Magombwe is a small school with Standards I-III that is located very far from all the other Pawaga schools. Although there are only two teachers, they have extensive knowledge about local flora and have helped their students plant aloe vera and other drought-hardy indigenous plants in the school compound.

Idodi Division:

Eleven Primary Schools

Nyamahana

Nyamahana Primary School in Mlowa Ward is located furthest from the park boundary in a village with one of the best irrigation systems in Idodi Division. There are six teachers, and they have been a FORS school since 2003.

Mlowa

Mlowa is one of the biggest schools in the program with twelve teachers, and they joined FORS in 2003. Their environmental teacher, Mr. Changamike, was featured in FORS' film Water is Life . The school has grown so large that they have split all classes into two sections. Most of the students are from pastoralist families. In the past, these students did not attend school due to their pastoral lifestyle; however, the Maasai and Barabaig people have begun to recognize the importance of education and now send their children to school.

Mafuluto

Idodi

Idodi Primary School is located in the heart of Idodi village on the road to Ruaha. There are eleven teachers in the school. The students are very energetic and active in the environmental education program, as evidenced by their expansive tree seedling nursery. One now-famous alumnus, Faraja Mramba, was featured in FORS' environmental film, Water is Life , produced by Brock Initiative. 

Kitanewa

Kitanewa is located in Mapogoro village in Idodi Ward. They have nine very enthusiastic teachers and consequently, the students are also very enthusiastic about environmental issues. They have one of the largest tree seedling nurseries of all FORS' schools.

Tungamalenga

Tungamalenga is the last village on the main road to the park. As it is centrally located, many FORS workshops are held at Tungamalenga Primary School , one of the original FORS schools from 2003. There are thirteen teachers and the students are always top competitors in the Storyboard Event at World Environmental Day.

Makifu

Makifu Primary School is the closest Idodi school to the park. A FORS school since 2003, Makifu has seven teachers. Students have created a channel from the school well to collect wastewater that is reused for irrigation.

Mahuninga

Mahuninga has ten teachers and since joining FORS in 2003 they have made great efforts to beautify their school compound. Their tree seedling nursery has been so successful that they have even given some seedlings to the local community.

Msembe

Msembe is a special school because it is located at the park headquarters within Ruaha National Park 's boundaries. Therefore, they have many resources which the village schools lack, most importantly, an up-close look at wildlife on a daily basis. Many of the students' parents are park rangers and have TVs and radios at home, so the students are very knowledgeable about environmental issues. There are nine teachers, and they have been a FORS school since 2003.

Kitisi

Kitisi joined the FORS EE program in October 2005, and they have four teachers. Located close to Ruaha National Park , the village has its own Wildlife Management Area. Despite having the smallest number of students in Idodi Division, they have managed to plant a large tree seedling nursery.

Matalawe

Matalawe, a FORS school since October 2005, is located in a mountainous area 8km from the Ruaha road. It has very few students because the village is very small. Although there is a scarcity of water, students walk long distances to irrigation ditches to get water to keep the plants in their school compound healthy and beautiful.