Friends of Lake Tanganyika (FOLT) was established in 2012 as an NGO with headquarters in Kigoma region, western Tanzania. Initiated by members of the community living in the Lake Tanganyika Basin, FOLT runs several projects aimed at tackling environmental and social challenges in the Lake Tanganyika Basin.
Our vision is a sound Lake Tanganyika’s Basin where People and Nature Thrive.
Our mission:
To end extreme poverty, hunger and environmental degradation across Lake Tanganyika Basin by empowering Lake Tanganyika Basin communities to become key participants in the management and equitable utilization of resources for sustainable livelihoods.
Key focus areas & activities
- Environmental Conservation (biodiversity conservation and sustainable natural resources management-fisheries, forest and wildlife; tree planting; protecting and restoring aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems; combating climate change-carbon offset; waste management, and environmental justice)
- Clean energy (solar power, biomass charcoal briquettes, hydro-power, wind power, fuel efficient cooking stove, bio gas)
- Micro-finance, entrepreneurship
- Food and nutrition security (sustainable agriculture, fishing, animal husbandry, beekeeping and fish farming)
- Cultural Tourism
- Primary healthcare services
- Education
- Water and sanitation
- Peace and justice
- Human rights and gender issues
- Refugees’ relief services and humanitarian assistance.