Make Every Woman Count was on the ground last week in beautiful Zanzibar where we met women from the group Kufaa Tena/Women’s Voice. Kufaa Tena in Kiswahili means, “to be useful again,” which was chosen as the name as they started their work in 2005 as recycling project. They later added Women’s Voice to the title in order to better capture the fact that they are a women’s organization that serves as a means of economic empowerment for the women of their small community.

The women initially began collecting plastic from the beaches in Bwejuu Village in Zanzibar to remake into crafts. At this point in time, founder Zakia Kibida did not have any craft or sewing skills but was eager to learn. The idea originally came from an American woman, the owner of the lodge where Zakia worked, who had witnessed a similar projects success in Ethiopia. Eager to make a difference in her community and generate an income for her family, Zakia bravely rose to the challenge and taught herself how to weave by looking at models of the products she wished to create. She soon mobilized other women in the community and not long after they were 30 and eager to change  their lives and better their community.

Founded in 2005, the organization functions as a cooperative where local women come to work each day to create environmentally conscious products as a means of income for their families. Through this innovative and resourceful recycling project, the women began with creating woven items with them such as baskets and handbags. Furthermore during this time, Kufaa Tena/Women’s Voice was one of the primary supporters during  the Zanzibar and Tanzania governments ban on imported plastic bags- the first  national movement of its kind in Africa.

 

The organization has since grown and now includes the creation of clothing, fabric bags, mosaic art and jewelry. They sell their products from their small location behind a guesthouse in Bwejuu that they rent by doing work for the owner of the guesthouse in addition to their cooperative duties. The women are working towards building a full store by the end of the rain reason in the upcoming months time and have already secured its location—just meters from the lodge. They are currently working very hard to create enough products to fill their store and get ready for the next tourist season. They also sometimes sell their products in Stone Town and hope to keep expanding to other markets within Zanzibar. Some of their products are also available online at: http://www.enterafrica.net/kufaa-tena.html.

Kufaa Tena/Women’s Voice as a female-only textile-based cooperative and are proud of their “green-sewn” approach as they use non-electrical sewing machines and also recycled materials whenever possible. The organization is currently comprised of 15 women who work together on the projects. Not only is the project an environmentally conscious one, it provides a means of self-empowerment for the women.  The women currently have four sewing machines which they raised the funds for themselves so they are personally invested and take a great deal of ownership over their products and the success of the group. The organization makes traditional wear but is also keen to cater to tourists fashion. They often approach tourists with fashionable wear or ask to model pieces after their customers clothing. They are always looking for new ideas and want to meet the consumer trends to ensure continued success.

 

In interviewing Zakia Kibuda, the group leader, MEWC learned of the benefits for the women in the area. For example, some members did not have any handicraft or sewing training and were taught by members of the group. They now have a tangible skills that they can use to create projects for the group for sale but also for their families. The project has provided many women with training that have moved on to other employment opportunities as well. The income generated through the various projects is distributed equally among members annually and commonly the money is used to buy school supplies and clothing for their children. Zakia expressed that education was key to them and that good education came with a large price tag. Her earning from the cooperative allows her to fund her children education at a boarding school in Dar Es Salem, something that would not have been possible in a single-income family.

 

The women we met had a deep pride in their community and saw taking care of their beaches as an integral part of a sustainable community. The group also raises money for local schools and have the praise and support from the Zanzibar Youth Educational and Development Support Association (ZAYEDESA) as well as the USA /Tanzania-based Osiris Enterprises and the Zanzibar Tourist Corporation.

The women expressed that they would like to reach an even broader clientele as being in such a remote area is a challenge for them. Additionally, being able to expand to include other projects that do not only rely on heavy tourist income generation would be ideal in order to ensure the sustainability of the group. Access to sewing patterns and the ability to network with like organizations to share successes and challenges was also raised within the group.

The women of the organization are anxiously working towards the grand opening of their storefront and hope to expand their organization in the future so that more women can be trained and involved in the cooperative. They are eager to sell their products in more locations and empower more women in Zanzibar to make a difference in their own lives through creative means.

For more information on Kufaa Tena/Women's Voice, contact coordinator Zakia Kibuda at 255-777-455-796 or 255-713-104756. For inquiries outside of Zanzibar and Tanzania, contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. http://www.enterafrica.net/kufaa-tena.html