WAUMAKI Kisiwani is promoting heritage conservation in Tanzania by empowering local female entrepreneurs dedicated to improving social and economic development

The SiteKilwa Kisiwani is a UNESCO World Heritage site on Tanzania’s south coast. The site has occupation dating back to the 8th Century AD and was later the centre of the Kilwa Sultanate between the 10th and 18th centuries. Significant buildings, s…

The Site

Kilwa Kisiwani is a UNESCO World Heritage site on Tanzania’s south coast. The site has occupation dating back to the 8th Century AD and was later the centre of the Kilwa Sultanate between the 10th and 18th centuries. Significant buildings, such as the Great Mosque, Makutani Palace, The Gereza and Husuni Kubwa, are from this Sultanate period. As part of an international trading system, merchants from Kilwa traded gold, silver, perfumes, pearls, Persian pottery, Chinese porcelain, and Arabian crockery. This site contains exceptional archeological and architectural evidence of the development of Swahili culture and commerce, offering important insight into the economic, social and political landscape of the region.

The CommunityThe site of Kilwa Kisiwani holds tremendous cultural significance to the local community. Beyond this cultural value, Kilwa also has high economic potential as a tourist destination with nearly 3,000 visitors to the site recorded every …

The Community

The site of Kilwa Kisiwani holds tremendous cultural significance to the local community. Beyond this cultural value, Kilwa also has high economic potential as a tourist destination with nearly 3,000 visitors to the site recorded every year. However, living in substantial poverty, the local community in Kilwa is struggling to harness this business potential with the resources available to them. Previous conservation and tourism projects at the site have been unable to provide sustainable jobs. Some produced short-term jobs and benefitted only a small section of the local community who live on the island.

The ProjectSPI is partnering with local female entrepreneurs living near Kilwa Kisiwani to propel economic and community development, as well as site preservation through the WAUMAKI Kisiwani project. The project name, WAUMAKI Kiswani, is an acronym…

The Project

SPI is partnering with local female entrepreneurs living near Kilwa Kisiwani to propel economic and community development, as well as site preservation through the WAUMAKI Kisiwani project. The project name, WAUMAKI Kiswani, is an acronym for WAnawake Utamaduni, na MAgofu KIlwa Kiswani loosely meaning women, culture, and ruins in the Swahili language. The women are attending SPI’s business school in order to develop their existing craft and culinary skills, create new products and recipes, and train in business and marketing techniques. Currently, the women’s group sells traditional food mainly to local populations and research groups visiting the island. Under the elected leadership of Mwanaisha Yusuph, this women’s group will begin sales of various cultural products under their new business association, WAUMAKI Kisiwani.

Achievements:

  • The women of WAUMAKI are participating in research projects, conducting various meetings, and documenting intangible heritage.

  • Participants engaged in various meetings to discuss the heritage potential of the island.

  • Kilwa Bonanza, an event aimed at celebrating local heritage, was hosted near the site. WAUMAKI members prepared meals for the 400+ participants of Kilwa Bonanza. This resulted in over $2,000 of profit for the women.

  • The women prepared and sold traditional meals to researchers from Tanzania and Scotland as they conducted their studies at the site, earning an additional $1,000 

  • They have also engaged in research projects and preparation of traditional meals for researchers from Tanzania, Ireland and Scotland leading to making money amounting to $600.

The big things we have learned: 

  • Huge potential exists within local communities and local women when proper resources and training are provided.

  •  Strong relationships are built through local participation, knowledge and leadership

The future: 

  • The women are attending artisan-led workshops focused on basket weaving and making products that tell a story about their culture. 

  • The WAUMAKI office is due to open soon and we hope sales will continue to grow! 

The Big Thing we Learned

  • Local, independent, dynamic leadership is key to the success and sustainability of projects and spreading the benefits!

 
 

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