Introduction:
At sunrise in Mtambwe Kusini, a quiet coastal village in Pemba, the golden light catches the steady hands of Mama Bahati. She bends carefully over seaweed soap molds her gaze determined, her touch precise. But this is more than morning work. It is a movement. A revolution led by women, rooted in the ocean, and rising with the waves of the Great Blue Wall.
This is the story of the Kukuu Women’s Cooperative a group that began in 2008 with just 16 members (14 women and 2 men), and today stands as a champion of coastal regeneration, women’s leadership, and resilient livelihoods across Tanzania’s Western Indian Ocean.
The Birth of Kukuu:
Kukuu was founded with a simple but powerful vision: that the ocean could be more than survival it could be sovereignty. Starting small, with limited tools and knowledge,
the women of Kukuu dared to transform seaweed farming into a source of dignity and income. Today, the cooperative is a flagship of the Bahari Mali Program, linking grassroots ambition to global climate and ocean goals.
The
Ocean as Economic Freedom:
Every strand of seaweed harvested by Kukuu carries a story of empowerment. What was once sold raw at low prices is now transformed into soaps, skin-care products, and herbal cosmetics.
These value-added products are sold in local markets in Pemba, Zanzibar, and as far as Dar es Salaam. For women who once depended entirely on their husbands for household needs, seaweed has become a ticket to financial independence covering school fees, healthcare, and family welfare.
Women in Leadership a New Voice:
For generations, coastal women were excluded from decision-making in their homes, villages, and beyond. Kukuu has broken this silence. Today, its members sit on local councils, engage directly with government leaders, and contribute to high-level dialogues on the Great Blue Wall Initiative a pan-African vision to restore and protect the Western Indian Ocean. Here, women’s voices are not only heard; they shape the future.
Ocean
and Environment:
Kukuu’s mission is not only about income it is about stewardship. Members are active in mangrove restoration, seaweed sustainability trials, and ocean conservation awareness. For them, protecting the sea is not optional, it is survival. The ocean gives them life, and they in turn safeguard it for the generations that follow.
Challenges
and Triumphs:
The journey has not been smooth. Climate change, fluctuating seaweed prices, and crop diseases have threatened their progress. Yet through training, micro-grants, and market linkages supported by Bahari Mali and partners such as the Embassy of Ireland, Kukuu has overcome. What once seemed impossible is now reality: women-led enterprises that feed families, restore ecosystems, and inspire others across the Western Indian Ocean.
Dreams
of Tomorrow:
Kukuu’s vision is
growing. The cooperative plans to expand its processing facility, create a
certified product line, and build a recognized brand that proudly carries the
label:
“Made
by the Women of Kukuu Zanzibar, Tanzania.”
Products made by Kukuu Women cooperative, 2024
Their dream is to see their seaweed products not only in East African markets but also on global shelves proof that coastal women can lead Africa’s blue economy.
Powered
by Bahari Mali, Inspired by the Ocean:
With catalytic support from the Bahari Mali Project implemented under IUCN’s Coastal Resilience portfolio and funded by the Embassy of Ireland in Dar es Salaam the women of Kukuu are not only transforming their livelihoods but also reshaping their seascape.
Once limited by outdated tools and scarce resources, Kukuu received TZS 32 million in seed investment capital that has unlocked dignity, opportunity, and a regenerative future. “Before, we struggled to make soap under a tree, boiling ingredients in old pots,” recalls Mama Bahati. “Today, we produce over 400 packets a month, with proper equipment and the skills to match demand with quality. This support has changed everything.”
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Model for the Regenerative Blue Economy:
Kukuu has become a living example of the Great Blue Wall vision: community led, nature based, and economically inclusive. Through training in seaweed farming techniques, product diversification, branding, and communications, these women are now architects of a regenerative blue economy that works with, not against, nature.
Their monthly seaweed harvest has grown from 1,000 kg to more than 1,700 kg. But rather than remain vulnerable to volatile raw seaweed prices, they are innovating adding value by producing soap, oils, shampoos, and soon high-value seaweed powder that can fetch up to TZS 15,000 per kilo.
“Our oil production has expanded from just 15 liters a month to 40 liters. Our income has risen from around TZS 400,000 to over 1 million per month,” explains Asha, a cooperative member. “This is not just progress. It is empowerment.” Kukuu’s journey shows what happens when women are equipped with resources, training, and belief. They create more than products they create a regenerative economy where people and planet thrive together.
Nature-Based
Solutions in Action: Bees and Biodiversity::
Staying true to the Nature-Based Solutions (NbS) pillar of the Great Blue Wall, Kukuu has diversified into beekeeping a new but rapidly growing enterprise. With 17 hives installed near restored mangrove buffers, the women are preparing for their first honey harvest, a milestone that represents more than income.
Bees are strengthening local biodiversity, pollination services, and food systems, while offering an additional revenue stream for the cooperative. This innovation reduces dependence on a single product and builds resilience against climate related shocks. It is a living demonstration of Blue Nature and Blue Health working hand in hand where environmental restoration and human well-being advance together.
Women
as Coastal Guardians of the Great Blue Wall:
Kukuu is more than a
cooperative. It has become a pillar of
the Great Blue Wall in Zanzibar a symbol of how community-led initiatives
can embody the framework’s five pillars:
Blue
Nature - Restoring
and protecting coastal ecosystems through regenerative seaweed farming,
mangrove conservation, and pollinator-friendly practices.
Blue
People -
Placing women at the center of leadership, decision-making, and community
empowerment.
Blue
Health -Strengthening
livelihoods, nutrition, and food security through sustainable ocean-based
innovations.
Blue
Planet (Governance)
- Practicing grassroots accountability, participatory planning, and inclusive
governance.
Blue Partnerships - Enabled by catalytic support from the Embassy of Ireland, implemented by IUCN, and inspired by the spirit of Bahari Mali.
“We are not just farmers we are guardians of the ocean,” says Mama Bahati, smiling beneath her headscarf. “This journey proves what women can achieve when given the tools, the trust, and the tide in our favor.”
About
Bahari Mali
Bahari Mali is a flagship coastal resilience program empowering local communities to participate in and benefit from a sustainable, ocean-based economy. Led by IUCN and supported by the Embassy of Ireland in Dar es Salaam, Bahari Mali directly advances the Great Blue Wall vision by championing regenerative blue economy principles, women’s leadership, and nature-based solutions.
Kukuu
Women Cooperative
Mtambwe
Kusini, Mkoani District, Pemba - Zanzibar, Tanzania
🌊 Empowering women, Protecting the ocean and Building the Great Blue Wall.
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Bahari Mali Success Story | Pemba, Zanzibar
Supported
by the Embassy of Ireland in Dar es Salaam
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