Namnyak, a Maasai herder in north Tanzania, fears a carbon credit scheme linked to Volkswagen -- dismissed by NGOs as "greenwashing" -- could destroy her community's way of life.

Under the scheme, local Maasai are being offered money to keep their cattle on a strict "rotational grazing" scheme so that the grass grows longer and captures more carbon.

The idea is that Volkswagen, and possibly other companies, will pay for this through "carbon credits" which are supposed to offset carbon emissions from its factories and operations.

Many researchers and NGOs question the whole concept, saying such schemes disrupt local communities while doing little to improve the environment, existing only to allow companies to keep polluting elsewhere.

The scheme in northern Tanzania is run by Volkswagen

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