The Bohra community in Mombasa at Dongo Kundu / BRIAN OTIENOYoung people must take responsibility for protecting and conserving the environment because they form the majority of the population, members of the Dawoodi Bohra community in Mombasa have said.
The community, with roots across East Africa and strong ties to India, Sri Lanka and the UAE, has a long tradition of community service and environmental stewardship.
On Wednesday, the group concluded another successful mangrove planting and clean-up drive at Dongo Kundu, aimed at restoring the region’s vital coastal ecosystem.
The exercise saw students from the MSB Educational Institute—an Islamic school headquartered in India—plant 1,500 mangrove trees as part of an ongoing initiative to grow 10,000 mangroves along the Kenyan coast.
The initiative is being conducted under Project Rise, a global Dawoodi Bohra development programme that aligns with the Kenya Kwanza administration’s One Million Tree campaign. Mombasa Deputy Governor Francis Thoya is among its local partners.
“Mangrove forests act as natural barriers against storm surges and high waves and are highly effective at capturing carbon,” said Hamza Shura, a member of the Project Rise Mombasa chapter.
“We’re pleased to collaborate with government authorities and local partners to undertake the 10,000 mangroves project.”
Shura said the wider effort is designed to combat coastal erosion, enhance biodiversity, and raise awareness about the crucial role mangroves play in mitigating climate change.
The Dongo Kundu mangrove project is part of a broader global environmental effort under Project Rise, which also supports mangrove restoration programmes in the UAE, India and Sri Lanka.
Shura noted that the initiative reflects the teachings of the community’s global spiritual leader, his holiness Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin, who urges members to safeguard nature’s gifts through tree planting and cleanliness drives worldwide.
“These environmental efforts by our community are a reflection of his guidance,” Shura said
The youth-led nature of the initiative, he added, is meant to instill a lifelong sense of responsibility and service in students.
Since the programme began a few months ago, the community has planted more than 5,000 mangroves in Mombasa, Kwale and Kilifi counties.
President William Ruto has set a national goal of planting 15 billion trees by 2032 — a vision the Dawoodi Bohra community says it fully supports.
“This reflects a shared vision for a greener, sustainable future for our children and their children,” Shura said.
Students participating in the drive said the experience was both educational and rewarding.
“Every sapling planted is an investment in the future of Mombasa’s environment and our local fishing communities,” Sarrah Namajee said.
Mombasa CEC for Education Mbwarali Kame praised the effort, saying schools play a key role in shaping environmental values.
“Learners must know they are the ones to take care of the environment for themselves. Nobody else will,” Kame said.
“We are in this together—the environment we are protecting is ours and the benefits that come from it make our lives healthier and more fulfilling.”
