Emmanuel Makero
Founder- Assistant Executive Director
My Birthday Tree Organization (MBTO) is a registered non-governmental organization in Tanzania, founded in 2021 and officially registered on March 1st, 2023 under registration number 00NGO/R/4432. The organization was proudly launched on June 24th, 2023, by the Deputy Minister of State in the Vice President’s Office for Hon. Khamis Hamza Chillo, on behalf of Hon. Dr. Seleman Said Jafo, the former Minister of State in the Vice President’s Office for Union and Environment. MBTO is headquartered in Morogoro, Tanzania.
MBTO is dedicated to the protection, conservation, and restoration of the environment and ecosystems across Tanzania. Our work is driven by six core focus areas:
Environmental and Ecological Restoration
Awareness Creation on Environmental Management
Natural Resources Assessment and Management
Promotion of Research and Innovation for Ecosystem Protection
Regional and International Environmental Cooperation
Sustainable Community Engagement and Development
We are deeply committed to advancing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by implementing impactful, community-driven projects at both local and national levels.
The MBTO team is composed of a diverse group of professionals and experts—including environmental scientists, wildlife managers, researchers, technology specialists, financial analysts, and communication strategists. Together, we work in collaboration with various stakeholders to ensure the sustainable environment and the creation of resilient, green communities throughout Tanzania.
My Birthday Tree was inspired by a simple but powerful idea from our founders at Sokoine University of Agriculture: What if we celebrated birthdays by giving back to nature instead of just having parties, cake, and food?
This thought sparked the My Birthday Tree campaign. In 2021, they began monthly tree-planting activities on campus, encouraging fellow students to dedicate their birthdays to planting trees. The idea quickly gained support and spread to different regions in Tanzania.
Seeing the impact and growing community interest, they decided to expand their mission. In 2023, they officially launched My Birthday Tree Organization — a platform committed to driving meaningful environmental change by inspiring people and communities to actively protect and restore nature.
At My Birthday Tree Organization (MBTO), our strength lies in the dedication and expertise of our multidisciplinary team. We bring together passionate professionals from diverse fields including; environmental science, natural resource management, wildlife conservation, climate technology, research, and strategic communication. Our team is united by a shared commitment to environmental sustainability and community empowerment. With deep local knowledge and a global perspective, we design and implement impactful solutions that drive ecological restoration, promote climate resilience, and support sustainable development across Tanzania.
Founder- Assistant Executive Director
Simon Karunde
Founder & Executive Director
Some might see it as just planting trees, but it's a powerful symbol of how far communities can grow transforming from degraded lands and forgotten spaces into thriving, green ecosystems in just a few seasons. It’s more than reforestation it’s a reflection of a nation reclaiming its balance with nature, driven by grassroots action, youthful energy, and a vision for a sustainable future.