IACHE IKUE (Let It Grow): Regreening with football

​​On May 23rd and 24th, we launched our “Iache Ikue” (Let It Grow) campaign in Engaruka, Northern Tanzania—the first of its kind in Africa. The campaign kicked off with an energetic football tournament that brought together over 2,000 community members to celebrate ongoing regreening efforts and highlight the importance of protecting restored land.

Spreading the message via sports

Organised by Justdiggit, Trias and MVIWAARUSHA under the HUSISHA programme, with creative support from Havas South Africa, the campaign aims to raise awareness about the importance of completing the regreening cycle before introducing sustainable grazing in the regreened sites. The football tournament brought together four local teams and served as a unique platform to spread our regreening message.

Setting up signposts

“Iache Ikue,” which means Let It Grow in Swahili, is a call to action encouraging the local communities to protect regreening sites and let the grass grow. The campaign tackles a key challenge in restoration: premature grazing that leaves the sites struggling to recover. To show that the area is protected and grazing should be avoided until the area is fully restored, we have set up signposts. With the help of champion farmers and local leaders, the Engaruka Earth Smiles will be safeguarded throughout the restoration process.

Kick Off Regreening Campaign

Beyond the football matches, local women’s groups enriched the event with traditional dances and songs that reflected the community’s understanding and support for regreening, urging the protection of restored areas from grazing. Through storytelling, celebration, and education, the Iache Ikue campaign lays the foundation for long-term behavioural change and regreening that lasts.

The football tournament marked the beginning of the campaign which will run over the coming months through radio, SMS, and other community platforms, keeping the regreening message alive and growing.