In the Serengeti, legacy often begins with something as small as a seed.

Joachim Joseph Hhawu.

Assistant Lodge Manager, &Beyond Klein’s Camp, Northern Serengeti, Tanzania;

Planting a memory

From a small tree nursery in the grounds of Ngorongoro Crater Lodge, Joachim Joseph Hhawu, Assistant Lodge Manager, &Beyond Klein’s Camp, Northern Serengeti, Tanzania, grew 60 000 indigenous trees. Each one was gifted to neighbouring communities, where planting days became shared lessons in care and custodianship.

In 2003, Joachim Joseph Hhawu marked his first day at &Beyond Ngorongoro Crater Lodge by planting a Euphorbia candelabrum. He called it a pact. They would grow together. Two decades on, that promise has taken root far beyond a single tree. More than 60 000 indigenous trees were planted. A nursery shared with communities. Knowledge passed from child to child, planting memory as much as soil. Known simply as “the tree guardian”, Joachim’s journey has grown from gardener to Assistant Lodge Manager.

Along the way, he has shaped landscapes, guided guests, and quietly nurtured a deeper connection between people and place. Some legacies aren’t built. They’re grown.