Zanzibar: "Drop by drop an ocean is made"

„Together it works better", the women of Tumbatu - an off coast island near Tanzania - thought and decided to become independent from the middlemen broker of their fish selling. In the future they want to trade their fish directly on the mainland or at the marketplace on Zanzibar Island. Therefore they need a boat. 8 women cooperatives, lead by the biggest one Acheni, joint together for this to better their living conditions.
The women, mainly from the Gomani part of the island, have been active for nearly a decade now. Women - whose men leave the villages for Zanzibar Island, because of the bad local job situation - have to raise the children on their own and must find different ways to earn money and make ends meet.
Besides chicken and goat farming, offshore-fishing gives them their income. Offshore fishing here means to catch the big swarms of Dagaa-fish close to the coastline with nets, since they have no other possibility of fishing.
Buying an own boat will enable the women of Tumbatu from the need to sell their fish cheaply to the middlemen. They will get better prices on the big markets. With this money they can buy fresh water, vegetables and rice for reasonable prices for their home.
Also it will give them the possibility to start fishing regularly themselves increasing their independence.