Formed by nine young members, six women and three men, aged between 18 and 35 years old, the group works mainly in Karakata and nearby areas. Their work blends entertainment and education, using theatre, songs, and storytelling to communicate climate-related risks and promote community-led solutions. Their activities respond to limited community awareness, environmental degradation, and the need to promote behavioural change using creative tools to make knowledge relatable and memorable. They target residents living along rivers and in flood-prone zones, encouraging practices like planting trees, grass, and reeds to prevent erosion. Children and youth are their key audience, with performances in schools aimed at inspiring a new generation of environmental stewards. While not formally funded, Elimisha relies on support from the Tanzania Federation for the Urban Poor (TFUP), CCI, and local subward authorities.
Working towards justice
Elimisha’s work centres on community empowerment and collective awareness. By using art to engage people across age groups, especially in informal settlements, the group supports the redistribution of climate knowledge to those often left out of formal education and planning. This initiative provides powerful recognition for art as a valid tool for scientific communication and social mobilisation, and for youth as key educators in the climate conversation. Their performances recognise the lived experience of communities at risk and give space for local voices to reflect on environmental challenges. Elimisha is an act of knowledge justice; they distribute critical environmental information to communities, influence how people understand risks, act within their environment, and talk about change. Participation is rooted in shared identity, youth leadership, and collaboration with local stakeholders, yet financial constraints and expectations of compensation limit their reach. Still, Elimisha fosters a sense of community ownership and cohesion while offering an inclusive platform for shaping environmental behaviours and narratives from within.
The potential to benefit people and nature
While not a physical intervention, Elimisha creates the essential social foundation upon which successful nature-based actions are built. By raising community awareness and fostering an understanding of environmental risks, they build the public demand and social license for green interventions. This approach to social mobilisation and education is a critical, non-built approach to solving environmental challenges, as it addresses the human behaviour and knowledge barriers that often hinder the success of physical projects.
The group’s potential lies in creating more direct links between their performances and on-the-ground action. They could partner with other initiatives to create performances that specifically explain the function of mangrove restoration or riverbank bio-engineering. By tailoring performances for different audiences, from children to policymakers, they could become a central communication hub, translating technical knowledge into cultural understanding and mobilising support for greening projects across the city.
