Overview

UWCEA Moshi Project Sharation 24’/25′

New

Details

On December 11th, 2024 UWC East Africa, Moshi students involved in environmental projects hosted the first project sharation at UWCEA. There were many enthusiastic projects and budding leaders on display with a communal opportunity to expand and proudly share their work. Overviews are still available on the project sharation webpage (see QR).

Link to event projects

A project sharation is a public event, where students celebrate their projects on display. Projects can vary, how they are presented is completely up to the project teams and the event offers students an opportunity to articulate, present, perform and demonstrate deeper connections with their efforts. This also provides students the opportunity to show appreciation for project partners, network and refline their projects via broader feedback from those in the greater community.

It is difficult to pick highlights from the day, so here is a brief account.

The sustainable fashion show from D2 Sarah Božić and her models was a truly memorable first and marks the start of a new project called ‘Sustainable Fashion and Jewelry’. Sarah’s pieces embodied earth’s systems, and the cost of fast fashion. This was not the limit of the scope of her efforts, displaying pieces called ‘small scale mining’, ‘Soil degradation’, ‘Coral bleaching’, Plastic buden suffocating marine life’ and ‘The shiny ocean surface: a mark of its struggles’.

“The line of dresses is a silent protest to ongoing challenges faced by nature and the environment. The items are made of materials collected across UWC East Africa-Moshi. Each dress embodies a specific environmental concern through symbolism, design and creative reutilization of materials. The line aims to challenge fast fashion, one of today’s main polluters, producing 10% of Co2 emissions globally, is a driver to soil degradation, water contamination and much more.

Sarah Božić center with her peer models proudly taking a bow

Social challenges such as cheap labor and child exploitation are also severe consequences of the fast fashion industry. By adhering to slow fashion, recycled materials and correct work ethics we can stop the sufferings of our environment and surrounding societies. Mindsets and habits can be changed: it lays in awareness and choice.” – Sarah Božić

This was truly a powerful fashion show and a show of stewardship for positive change.

A D1 Jordanian and D2 Mexican student present their mapping experience with MAPEO.

The Tree Project shared their experiences with the mapping and networking they had achieved in semester 1. Since, this group have gone on plant over 40 trees in semester two. Some of this background work was aimed at mapping their efforts. Throught the incorporation of the MAPEO earth defenders’ tool kit (find out more about MAPEO), they learned valuable lessons shared on story mapping and citizen sciences efforts. Further collaboration with a local Chagga permaculturalist, with passion and a plethora of experiences in tree planting made for an informative display.

Sustainability committee members proudly displaying some of their efforts

The UWCEA Moshi Sustainability Committee were on hand to demonstrate their history and re-emphasise their mission. This was the last event for the class of 2025 members and they deserve great credit for their efforts over the past year. Though they inherited many challenges, this group truly laid the groundwork for meaningful engagement by the committees moving forward.

The Environmental service groups shared their many gardening endeavours, designs for the recycling program and M1-3 environmental service successfully hosted a clothing swap shop. Students from visiting groups, the student body and broader community endeavoured to acquire the hidden gems in the pre-loved clothes on display. Students from visiting schools connected to were thoroughly engaged and appreciative of their efforts. Garments leftover and in good condition were donated to an orphanage in Dar es Salaam and distributed by a passionate D1 student.

Diploma Environmental Service Group proudly engaging visitors with their various efforts

M1-3 Environmental Service presenting to UWECA directo Dr. Anna Marsden

Further efforts and displays of soil restoration, modelling of a new recycling station format and many more challenges were walked through diligently by the students in the Diploma group, with M4/5 students celebrating their first tomatoes.

Smokeless Kitchen presenting to visiting students

Smokeless kitchen provided a muddy example of positive service for the Moshi community. This project is headed by teacher Julien Munier with a dedicated group of student volunteers. The project aims to provide alternatives to indoor open burning, installing chimneys to draw away the harmful fumes and a lifeline from consequential respiratory impacts. Find out more on the overview page.

D1 Women’s Health Empowerment Service lead presents their admissions

Women’s Health Empowerment service project provided great detail in their plans and efforts. This new service group is on the lookout for upcycled fabrics, in particular swimsuit material, to repurpose for their project. The D1 students presented a slideshow with eye opening perspectives and evidences of how girls who lack access to basic necessities such as menstrual products attain lower school attendance. They aim to make a difference and more broadly deep diving into the challenges women face locally. By providing pads to young students, these change agents have already begun to positively influence lives.

Clean-up service lead presenting to NEEMA students

Community Clean-up service was enthusiastic and detailed in their presenting of this hands on endeavour. They have been working within and beyond the school walls and continue to beautify the community and organize solid waste on its behalf. Simple but inspiring, there is much work to be done within Moshi alone.

Coral Fossil sample (left) and Coral balls (screen) presented by a dedicated D1/D2 pair.

The Reefs project presented a well detailed account of the project and are keen to reboot this project. With some networking ahead and efforts towards expertise and partnerships there is a buzz of motivation in this presenting pair. WIth a campus located at least 8 hours from the coast, it is a challenge which has been taken on by prior UWCEA cohorts. Restoring coral reefs, one of earth’s most threatened and incredible gems is a noble endeavour. The team is always looking to expand the network of experts necessary to safely, effectively and equitably engage further with this project based along the Northern Tanzanian coastline.

Lessons in Conservation shared activities and skills they picked up through the Cape Town to Kilimanjaro program they completed last semester. Participants were challenged to spot virtual wildlife and shared plans to engage local schools with their educational materials developed in their service time. Conservation and communities hit close to home at UWCEA, this service will continue into the next school year, refined in their scope and ready for positive impact.

The event was a celebration of projects, learning, reflection and growth through action, students and the wider community expressed the utmost gratitude to all who attended, taking the time to empower service, projects and clubs to further engage as positive change agents. Although the IB program provides a platform, performative and engaging presentation of action has demonstratively enhanced service at UWCEA Moshi. Long may it continue.