Growing Together: Student Leadership in Maintaining the Go Green School Garden

A garden does more than grow plants—it grows responsibility, teamwork, and a sense of ownership. At Town School in Tabora, the students have become the true heartbeat of the Go Green Project. Their energy, commitment, and excitement have turned the school garden into a living example of what happens when young people are empowered to lead.

Why Student Involvement Matters

Many school-based green initiatives fail not because the ideas are weak, but because long-term care is rarely integrated into student life. Once the initial enthusiasm fades, gardens are often abandoned, and the learning potential disappears. CODEWA understood that true sustainability would require a new approach—one where students were not just participants but leaders.

How CODEWA Built a Student-Led Garden Care System

To ensure ongoing success, CODEWA and Town School teachers created a student-centered model of garden maintenance. Students were organized into care teams and trained in practical gardening skills. With guidance from teachers and volunteers, they took responsibility for:

• Setting daily watering schedules
• Weeding and removing unwanted plants
• Preparing compost and natural fertilizers
• Monitoring plant growth and identifying challenges
• Protecting young seedlings from sun damage and heavy rain

This structure made the garden more than a project—it became a shared commitment that students proudly owned.

A Student’s Voice

“We created a watering schedule, and every group takes a turn,” shared a Green School Club member. “It feels like our garden, and we want it to grow.”

This simple statement reflects the transformation taking place. Students are not only learning agricultural skills—they are developing leadership, problem-solving abilities, and a strong sense of responsibility.

What This Phase Achieved

Because of the students’ dedication:

• The garden remained healthy, green, and productive
• More than 200 students gained hands-on gardening experience
• The school strengthened its culture of environmental stewardship
• Students built teamwork and leadership skills that extend beyond the garden

Where We Are Today

The garden is now well-established, with vegetables, flowers, and fruit trees thriving throughout the school compound. Its success is a direct reflection of the students’ consistent care and ownership.

Be Part of the Change

Support CODEWA as we continue empowering young leaders to champion environmental sustainability in schools across Tanzania.

Reflection

A project becomes truly sustainable when the people it serves—especially the youth—feel connected to its purpose. At Town School, the garden continues to thrive because the students who nurture it see it not as a school project, but as their garden, their responsibility, and their contribution to a greener future.