Bahari HUB Yetu, Ukombozi wa Wanawake project aims to transform women’s challenges through empowerment in their fisheries related activities to overcome the challenges based on technical, knowledge, gender, socio-cultural and religious barriers through establishment of Bahari Hub. We are developing Bahari hub to model local innovations for fisheries practices to generate revenue and close thedisparities faced by women. In this hub we will conduct ocean culture training to fisher women involving artists,record 1 documentary with 4 series videos in four coastal communities for breaking the silence on social-cultural and religious barriers, organize for the first-ever fisherwomen and conduct an art campaign of painting 40 fishing boats with coastal Swahili sayings will be conducted addressing the sociocultural, religious barrier and negative concepts of feminism to enhance participation and collaboration between men and women in fisheries

The grant applied to AFO will support the implementation of Bahari HUB Yetu, Ukombozi wa Wanawake project. This project through the hub will create artifacts from oceans’ unseen treasures that inspires and promote unification; The Innovation hub will create an arts for change campaign that will mark the 40 boats artistically by written phrases that encourages participation of women in fisheries activities, drawn paintings by well trained articulated artists from the established women fishers groups showcasing the unwanted social norms in fisheries that widen the gender gap, hinder freedom and participation of women in fisheries activities.

The activities that will be implemented in this project include a baseline and endline Survey will be conducted to identify the socio-cultural and religious barriers alongside feminism concepts and its impacts on fully participation of women in fisheries prior and after the project implementation in Kilwa, Mafia, Paje-Zanzibar and Msasani fishing community members, For Oceanculture training – 4 artists will be recruited to conduct two pieces of training of which at least 48 women (12 from each coastal community women group) will be trained on painting and making of hand made artifacts from ocean-related materials and swimming skills. Video documentary- 1 documentary with 4 series videos will be produced from the selected four coastal communities to break the silence on socio-cultural and religious barriers holding women back from fully participating in fishing activities. For fisherwomen festival- More than 400 participants (men and women) will be engaged during the Fisher Women Festival aiming at strengthening freedom of expression and visibility of the fisherwomen, the festival will run in the 4 selected coastal communities where recorded video documentary will be screened publicly to stimulate conversations, followed by “fish cook competition” where the women will compete on how innovatively they can use own cultural recipes to make and garnish food/fish dishes (using ocean arts), and winners will be awarded; this will be a motivation for these women to feel recognized and appreciated

Learning Questions: 

1. Do families still practice traditional storytelling? Will the project aid to revive traditional storytelling among Tanzanian families?  
2. Will culture and tradition be preserved among children and parents through written folklore stories? 
3. Will Tanzanian artists be economically empowered through exposure to advanced art of illustration?
   

During the 12 months of the project, AFO managed to achieve their intended project results as per their original plan. These achievements include: 

• 201 stories from 106 storytellers (49 female 57 male) representing nine ethnic groups (Mtaita, Msambaa, Mmbugu, Msegeju, Mdigo, Mnago, Wazigua Mkwere, Mdoe, Mzaramo). Also, 17 villages were reached in total such as Moa, Mazinde Ngua, Mazinde ngua, Makole and Kidatu, Saadani, Kaole, Mlingotini, Msata, Handogo). The collection of these stories allowed AFO to understand the norms and stories of the communities consulted. 
•  Information was exchanged and awareness was raised of different ethnic groups in Tanzania and the importance of cultural preservation. 
• A total of 312 people were engaged (44) 14.1% elderly, (237) 75.96% youth and (31) 10% children) directly and over 500 indirectly engaged. 

• Five regions (Arusha, Kilimanjaro, Tanga, Pwani and Zanzibar) were covered, which included diverse indigenous communities and tribes 
• 18 Tribes in 17 villages were visited in Kilimanjaro, Arusha, Tanga, Pwani and Zanzibar such as in Arusha (Maasai, Datoga, Hadzabe and Iraqw), Kilimanjaro ( Chagga, Pare), Tanga (Mtaita, Msambaa, Mmbugu, Msegeju, Mdigo, Mnago, Wazigua), Pwani (Mkwere, Mdoe and  Mzaramo, Zanzibar (Wazanzibari). 
• 15 Artists were trained in the use of digital Canvas Platform as a new way of diversifying employment opportunities  
• 1000 copies of the Hapo Zamani Za Kale book were produced 
• 17 Villages and four libraries received the Hapo Zamani Za Kale book  

• In addition, Hapo Zamani za Kale engaged over 4000 persons through media campaigns  
  

Social Media Account and Followers: 

• Hapo Zamani za Kale (as of 05th March 2021) 
• Facebook: HapoZamanizaKaleTZ (569 followers) 

• Twitter: @hapozamanikale (9 followers) 
• Instagram: Hapozamanizakale (788 followers) 
• LinkedIn: HapoZamanizaKale (17 followers) 
• Youtube: HapoZamanizaKale (7 subscribers) 
• One article developed about cultural preservation which can be read here.

 Through this project Hapo Zamani za Kale interacted with local artists, indigenous communities, community libraries, schools, Aqua Farms subscribers, voice grantee partners like Repro-Heri Voice and SHIVYAWATA. The networking created strategic relationships and an environment where women, children, People with Disabilities (PWDs), and the elderly could meet. This is especially significant in indigenous communities because these groups are sometimes left out of the conversation.  

The one-year project has provided many valuable lessons to the Hapo Zamani za Kale team. The team is looking forward to using the book to raise awareness in communities about cultural preservation. Hapo Zamani za Kale will also continue to focus on development through the cultural perspective.