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Background – Zanzibar consists of the islands Ungujaa and Pemba, both situated in the Indian Ocean offshore from Tanzania. A big part of the population lives on fishing and agriculture. Most of the foreign currency comes from tourism, explaining why this is the most promoted sector. But in Zanzibar women are not able to work in hotels due to religious reasons and are therefore not able to profit from those advancements. The female villagers have only few possibilities in agriculture to gain an income.

The project – Our aim is to create an income for 15 women groups consisting of around 500 women who work in the processing of coconut (seam and shell). Until now the women produce ropes and simple commodities that are sparsely demanded by the market. The first priority is therefore to develop new products from coconut seams and shells as well as new processing technologies. This occurs in exchange with international experts and designers. The education of the women considering the new products is the central part which is achieved by the instruction of teachers from the “Zanzibar Fund for Self-Reliance” (ZFSR) and in local vocational schools. Till now the whole processing was done manually. But with simple machines the production of new products is possible, the processes can be optimized and the production can be remarkably increased. We support the ZFSR with the marketing and sale of the new products, e.g. with the production of advertising material and the attendance of exhibitions. By 2008 an independent company will guarantee marketing and sale, production, quality control and financial administration. This company will belong to the women groups, but be led by a qualified management. The project requires an effective and efficient project management; therefore the ZFSR will be in the beginning supported with planning, monitoring, accounting and report writing.

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BW Bank 600 501 01
Account 2234 111

We kindly ask you to use the project title as reference on your money transfer form. We will be pleased to issue a donation receipt. Therefore send us an E-Mail with your contact details to the address germany [at] swisscontact.net

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