Growing up on Funzi Island, a settlement in Kenya, Cinzia Torriani, a Diploma Programme 1 student at the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa, has seen the impact climate change can have on the environment and the people within it. 

“I saw the aquatic life in the bay that surrounded a part of the island deteriorate over time,” Cinzia said. “Fish disappeared from the easy view of the waters, dolphins, which would appear annually, stopped appearing, and I would even hear stories of animals that were once habitants of the bay as now a distant memory. Contrary to this, the number of fishermen stayed the same, and at some point, every small fish in the ocean was being caught to feed a fisherman’s family. I realised that a majority of the motives put in place on the island for helping the environment served little purpose towards establishing a feasible way forward to ensure locals, who depend on the ocean, would remain economically stable.” 

By seeing this and her parents’ personal initiatives toward the environment, Cinzia channeled her energy into becoming an environmental activist, focusing on ways to better her environment while also keeping in mind the local community. 

“My goal is to ensure sustainable economic and ecological development to consider both my love for my surroundings, but also the community,” Cinizia said. 

Taking action 

One of the first initiatives Cinzia made in relation to her goal happened a year ago during her Year 10 personal project, which allows students to collaborate with individuals in their local community to address an issue or challenge. Cinzia created an integrated farming system combining a fish farm, chicken farm and maize farm in a self-sufficient cycle. Through this system, human efficiency would be maximised; the harvest timeline would be effectively eradicated; and locals would be provided with an alternative and more productive way to get fish from the ocean.

“I was able to build this system and present it to the locals in my community while also further spreading the word about my personal project,” Cinzia said. 

Following the completion of her personal project, Cinzia was able to further spread her message about the environment by speaking at the 2019 TEDxYouth event held at the Academy. In her talk, Cinzia spoke about the importance of fighting complacency in order for action to be taken toward the environment, while also discussing her personal project as a way of implementing a new agricultural system. 

“This was one of the most thrilling and greatest memories I hold,” Cinzia said. “I was able to use my voice as a way to spread my opinions and ideas on what mattered to me to a group of people who were interested in listening. From this, my story was published in one of the nation’s newspapers, Business Daily, about my project, my TEDx talk and my future goals. This provided me with the opportunity to convey my message about environmental sustainability to a larger audience.”

During this academic year, Cinzia has taken steps to further her goal and spread awareness about the environment. This was seen during the Academy’s annual Peace Summit, which is a two-day event bringing together students from the Academy and around Mombasa to discuss peace and conflict resolution. The theme for this year’s Summit was “Climate Action for Peace” with Cinzia being selected as the female student lead for the event. 

“The aim of the Summit was to take students through several thought-provoking and interactive activities to question their stand as activists for peace, linking this directly to the environment’s state,” Cinzia said. “From discussions on the dangers of rising sea levels, to water scarcity, to the impacts of desertification and drought, the students promoted the value of being environmentally conscious and reflecting on the actions of mankind.” 

Another way Cinzia was able to spread awareness about the environment was through community service. As part of the International Baccalaureate, Diploma Programme students have to create a community service group or be a part of an existing one. For Cinzia, she saw this as an opportunity to reconnect with the local community and spread awareness. 

“My friend and I created a community service project at the Academy called iSEAyou,” Cinzia said. “Our current goals include making use of polluted materials to create purchasable furniture and art, as well as promoting sustainable environmental development without any implications on the economic standards of members of society through creating and building projects, such as those I proposed in my personal project.” 

Looking forward

As Cinzia continues to decide what she wants to study when she goes to university, she said she will always be an environmental activist wherever she goes. and is forever grateful for those who have guided her to get to where she is. 

“I feel that no matter what career path I go into, it has become a hobby and a joy to raise awareness on the environment and work towards more environmentally-friendly systems in society,” Cinzia said. 

For Cinzia, being an environmental activist doesn’t mean dedicating your entire life to the environment. She said anyone can be an advocate for the environment through various, simple ways. 

“Personally I feel that simply having the strive to make a difference completely changes the path for society in order to reach end goals,” Cinzia said. “I feel that students at the Academy should work towards becoming more environmentally-conscious throughout their day-to-day lives to take little actions that make a great difference. Involvement in different initiatives taking place at the Academy also helps grow one’s character, and I feel that this is a prospect that should not be missed. I would actively encourage students to join these different teams and groups and work towards the betterment of the planet.”

Reflecting on the time she has spent so far at the Academy, Cinzia said she appreciates the supportive and nurturing environment at the Academy, which has opened many doors of opportunity for her. She said she is also grateful for her friends and family who have guided her and stood by her side throughout this all. 

“The Aga Khan Academy Mombasa has instilled lifelong ethical values in me,” Cinzia said. “Through this education, I have gained a great awareness on the importance of continuously considering my environment and my community in decision-making. The values of giving back to your community and the opportunities provided by the Academy to do so are endless and truly incredible. My teachers at the Academy were one of my anchors of support as they continuously encouraged me to reach my goals and push harder. I cannot give enough gratitude to Mrs. Susan Abuto who, as the head of the Individuals and Societies department, has guided me throughout this journey, especially in spearheading this academic year’s Peace Summit. I also would not have been able to reach many of my goals without the support of my friends, family and special people in my life who stood by my side throughout this long process.”

Qamili Dave is a passionate culinary arts professional from Mombasa, Kenya who graduated from the Aga Khan Academy Mombasa in 2017, which she joined in Grade 1.

For Qamili, being part of the Academy was such an interesting and enriching experience – something she is always appreciative of as it shaped her to be the person she is today. For one, the open and trusting environment cultivated at the Academy helped to elevate her self-confidence as she fondly recalls, “The Academy really helped me to stand up for myself. I felt so safe asking teachers questions and they always encouraged it.” Joining college, she would continue to carry herself with the same confidence, eventually running and winning to become Student Council president at Boma International Hospitality College for two terms.

If there is one accomplishment Qamili is really proud of during her time at the Academy, it is the exciting opportunity she was afforded to intern at the Serena Beach Hotel Mombasa through the Academy's internship programme, where Diploma Programme 1 students intern with an Aga Khan Development Network agency or external organisation/company relevant to the field they would like to pursue. This chance, she says, defined the course of her career and future as it is where she became certain about pursuing a career in culinary arts.

“Although I knew I loved to cook, I wasn’t sure it was the right profession for me," she said. "However, during my internship, I realised I was on the right path. It was hands down the biggest stepping stone to my career because I learnt almost all the basics and this made college a breeze. The experience also introduced me to the real working environment; how to formally interact with people and some of the challenges I would face while working. All in all, I really enjoyed it.”

Although she has moved back home to Mombasa after graduating college because of the impact COVID-19 has had on the hospitality industry, Qamili says this has been a blessing in disguise. She has used this time to complete two online courses from Harvard University – "Science & Cooking: From Haute Cuisine to Soft Matter Science" in both chemistry and physics. She has also dedicated this time to growing her food page (@chaqula_) on Instagram and exploring recipes from different cultures. In addition, Qamili has been helping out her parents with their advertising and signage business, "Eyecatchers & Daughters", which she says has taught her a lot about running a business.

“It’s been eye-opening and refreshing."

Having found what she believes to be her calling in life, the thing that Qamili loves most about being a chef is preparing a good satisfying meal that warms the hearts of people, especially her loved ones.

For her words of wisdom to current students at the Academy in Mombasa, Qamili says: “I would tell them to appreciate their teachers and everyone supporting them. I would also tell them to work smart; to be effective and efficient in everything that they do. Lastly, I would advise them to take advantage of the internship opportunities provided by the Academy, to get as much exposure as they can as this will really give them insight on the career path that is right for them.”

Many educators get the opportunity to move within their profession so that they may experience new challenges and growth, but few have the opportunity to move continents in pursuit of such experiences. Naini Singh, who has taught at both the Aga Khan Academies in Mombasa and Hyderabad, has been fortunate to do just that.

Naini SinghThough she was born in Kasama, Zambia, Naini’s parents moved to India when she was very young. Following in the footsteps of her father, who taught at the Aga Khan High School in Tanzania, Naini returned to Africa thirty years later in a professional capacity. “My husband accepted a job offer in Kenya; it was a very exciting move for me as I was going back to the continent where I was born.”

Naini was extremely pleased to have the opportunity to work with the Aga Khan Academies (AKA). “My youngest was ready to go into school and I had a lot of time on my hands so was ready to rekindle my career. The Aga Khan Academy seemed to me the best school to try and apply to as it was a lively, buzzing place, and I longed to be part of it.”

An AKA teacher for over six years, Naini understands the need for institutions like the Academies to exist worldwide and foster pluralism. “In Mombasa, the school provides a mosaic of the rich diversity of the population: children come from diverse cultural, ethnic and religious backgrounds within the country, [as well as] from China, Italy, Russia, Canada and India among others. Teaching in a multicultural environment enriches the curriculum. There was plenty of scope to talk about vital concepts such as acceptance, tolerance and celebration of differences.”

The grade four teacher is now back in India and is teaching at the Academy in Hyderabad. She is enthusiastic about the coming years and believes that the Academy’s model for teaching will develop its students into successful global citizens. “The children in Hyderabad are new to the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Program (PYP) but they love it! Whenever I talk to them, they are always keen to share how different and mundane their learning was in the other schools. Initially, they were afraid to answer questions, or take risks and do things in a different way; now the students are confident PYP practitioners. These bright young children show definite potential to be leaders in the community; they are ready to learn and lead.”

Now that there are two schools in operation and the AKA network has begun, teachers are able to take advantage of the opportunity to go on exchange and experience teaching in another Academy in a different part of the world. Naini agrees with the importance of having educators broaden their horizons. “The main advantage that a thriving exchange program will bring to the Academies is the sense of unity among the staff; reaching out and connecting with teachers across continents is sound pedagogy as it also creates a feeling of belonging to a wider community. Teachers encounter new cultures and meet new colleagues; they broaden their horizons [and] get a fantastic opportunity to learn about other [traditions] and religions. They become the bridge that links the Academies from ground level.”

Currently Naini is completing her Master’s degree in Teacher Leadership at Walden University, as well as teaching. It is obvious that she has not only transitioned successfully into her new position, but she is thriving and so are her students.