INTRODUCTION AND EXCUTIVE SUMMARY
WAP is non-government organization established to improve social-economic conditions of girls and women who live in vulnerable conditions in Tanzania. However, the Organization focus is on environmental conservation for climate change adaptation and mitigations. Notwithstanding, WAP is working to support special needs to girls at primary and secondary level especially stationeries (exercise books, pens, books, uniforms etc.). Furthermore, WAP has the component of capacity building whereby Women provided with entrepreneurship knowledge and skills to empower them by engaging in income generating activities as the result of livelihood improvements.
In environment conservation WAP established Mikoko Ujamaa project, mangrove is the main forest found in the coastal regions include Dar es salaam and Pwani it covers 800km out of 1400km of coastal area in Tanzania. Mangroves are one among the forest which helps to reduce carbon dioxide which produced by human activities such as industrial activities. For this reason, Mikoko Ujamaa project in Women Against Poverty(WAP is considered the best approach to help curb reduction of negative impacts created due to human activities in the landscape. Community members have continued to be the greatest asset for a better world today and future. They have a crucial role to play in their community environment. During course of implementation of this project During course of implementation of this project community members were exposed and trained on matters concerning environments through BMU(Beach Management Unit) establishment.
Mikoko Ujamaa project is considered a true alternative restoration program in the long-term conservation of mangrove forests and the entire ecosystem.
MIKOKO UJAMAA-MANGROVE RESTORATION PROJECT
Mangroves remove carbon dioxide from the air as they grow and become used as a geoengineering technique to remove CO2 from the atmosphere. Mangroves restoration established in 2020 with involvement of community members on mangroves conservation in the areas around project site (Dar es salaam -Kidete, mtoni, kijichi and Mkuranga-Pwani) especially where the mangroves forest were found severely damaged through human induced activities the project were grounded in the form of community engagement conservation in which community took part to establish Beach management Unit (BMU).
Since the establishment of the project 7,300 mangroves have been planted. , The mangrove planting project has raised a spirit of mangroves conservation, the community has shown the interest which is a positive sign of success.
BMU ESTABLISHMENT
Mangroves conservation engage community members as direct beneficiaries through fishing activities as matter of fact mangroves are habitats of fish. Also there are various environmental friendly activities to be done in the mangrove forest such as beekeeping, and tourism. For this reason, WAP is working with government through TFS and fisheries officers using participatory approach for conserving mangroves. Through participatory approach WAP established Beach Management Unit (BMU) in Kurasini, kijichi, kidete and mtoni mtongani.
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
The general performance of the projects indicates some promising factors. It is quite clear that the project could not perform well, a number of lessons and hindering factors arose in the course of implementation. Logistics challenges, where lack of consistent transport to the project sites is among the key.
On community sides, it took some level of community engagement skills to work directly with local communities, gain their interest and acceptance and support to the project. This effect caused a lot of energy spent in trying to lobby to win community engagement in order to start mobilization of community mangroves planting. In order to show case the project impact, the project needs to remain focused in the same areas around Dar es Salaam and Mkuranga for at least 5 years in order to be able to demonstrate and showcase evidence based facts on mangroves cover change in the restoration development program within the ecosystem.