Project Isigcino Launched to Transform Bulawayo into a Resilient 'Micro-Forest' City
BULAWAYO – Something highly unusual unfolded behind the NUST Campus Innovation Hub this week: the steady thud of shovels, not jackhammers. In a decisive pivot from concrete to conservation, students from the National University of Science and Technology (NUST) Civil and Water Engineering department officially launched Project Isigcino—a youth-led movement for climate justice meaning, "We Keep."
The initiative signals a powerful new direction for the university’s brightest technical minds, as they apply their engineering acumen to combat rising urban temperatures and shrinking green spaces in Bulawayo.
From Blueprints to Biodiversity: The Education 5.0 Model
Project Isigcino was conceived in response to the city’s urgent need for environmental resilience. Instead of traditional landscaping, the students have adopted the high-impact Miyawaki method, a technique used to create dense, fast-growing micro-forests in urban spaces, schools, and neglected communal plots. These small, powerful forests are designed to rapidly absorb carbon, provide critical cooling relief for the city, and restore local biodiversity.
This project stands as a shining example of Education 5.0 in action, demonstrating how community-driven solutions, rooted in research and innovation, yield rich rewards for society. By securing a competitive bid with the Bulawayo City Council through the Bloomberg Philanthropies Youth Climate Action Fund, supported by UCLG, the students have transformed academic success into impactful national development.
Alignment with National and Global Goals
Executive Dean of the Faculty of Engineering, Dr. B. Mthunzi, welcomed guests, including the Vice Chancellor (VC) and university executives, highlighting the strategic relevance of the students' success.
"Our students from Civil and Water Engineering Department won a Grant from the City of Bulawayo... Their project’s intention was to promote climate awareness, sustainable waste management, and urban greening through community-based interventions, which brings us together today," said Dr. Mthunzi.
Dr. Mthunzi noted that the initiative aligns perfectly with the university’s broader sustainability goals, stating: "By participating, we are playing a vital role in mitigating climate change and preserving biodiversity." This direct action supports global objectives, particularly Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 13: Climate Action and SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities. Furthermore, the project directly contributes to the environmental pillars of the country's National Development Strategy 1 (NSD1) by fostering a greener and more resilient planet.
VC Plants the First Tree
The launch was officially inaugurated by the Vice Chancellor, Prof. M.E. Dlodlo, who set the precedent by planting the very first tree, an indigenous uXakuxaku sapling, at the launch site. This act, in the VC's words, "marked a renewed commitment by the university to repopulate its foliage and restore the natural character of its grounds."
The success is particularly noteworthy as it was championed by students from a department often associated with infrastructure development, proving their commitment to a holistic form of "building."
Building Resilience, Not Just Structures
Project Isigcino, which has been established as the Isigcino Club, is fundamentally about young people reclaiming their role in shaping the future. It demonstrates that engineers are not just builders of concrete structures, but architects of resilience and environmental hope.
This is framed as the community's last stand for climate justice, with each sapling serving as a promise for a cooler, healthier Bulawayo, and each forest a powerful reminder that sustainability is rooted in tangible, collective action.
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