OVERVIEW
Zanzibar Archipelago
The Zanzibar Archipelago is one of East Africa’s most biologically and culturally rich marine regions, where coral reefs, seagrass beds, and mangrove forests sustain biodiversity, fisheries, tourism, and daily community life. It forms one of the most biologically connected seascapes in the Western Indian Ocean, yet overexploitation, habitat loss, and climate impacts have placed it under serious stress.
Through the Marine ReGen Programme, delivered with local partner Mwani Zanzibar, Abundant Village is helping advance a regenerative model that links marine restoration directly to women-led enterprise. Unlike our terrestrial landscapes, this work is centred on ocean recovery and the direct connection between healthy ecosystems and household resilience. Mwani is already producing, selling, training, and restoring, and catalytic funding accelerates that momentum.
OUR FOCUS
The Marine ReGen Programme
ReGen is embedded within the communities of Unguja and Pemba Islands, with core conservation work concentrated in the Menai Bay Conservation Area and a processing facility in Paje on the east coast of Unguja. Mwani leads grassroots delivery, conservation partner Mwambao leads restoration, and the Wildlife Conservation Society provides independent scientific assessment.
The model treats coral reefs, mangroves, and intertidal zones as one interconnected system. At its core is a simple logic: business can build health into the ecosystems it depends on. By sourcing marine botanicals sustainably and channelling a share of revenue back into a community-managed ReGen Fund, the programme aims to reach financial sustainability by Year 5 and become ready for replication across neighbouring coastal regions.
Locally managed marine areas
Expanding co-management and enforcement of community-governed zones and no-take areas across 17 Shehia Fisheries Committees.
Coral reef restoration
Reef health surveys, coral nurseries, transplantation, artificial reef structures, and community training in in-water monitoring.
Mangrove restoration
Nurseries, replanting, and protection of forests that stabilise shorelines and act as fish nurseries and blue carbon sinks.
Seagrass and livelihoods
Technical training that transforms women seaweed farmers into skilled marine ingredient artisans over a five-year pathway.
Governance and capacity
Participatory resource mapping, marine spatial planning, and transparent, community-owned benefit sharing.
WHY IT MATTERS
Why this project matters
- Over 25,000 women in Zanzibar depend directly on intertidal zones for seaweed farming and food subsistence.
- Live coral cover has fallen below 25 percent in parts of Menai Bay, with reefs shifting toward algal dominance.
- The bay’s mangrove and seagrass ecosystems could collectively store over 350,000 tonnes of carbon if restoration succeeds.
- Mangrove corridors link the Jozani-Chwaka Bay National Park to Menai Bay, supporting the endangered Zanzibar Red Colobus.
THE WOMEN-LED MODEL
Women as co-creators and leaders
Mwani Zanzibar was founded on the belief that women should be co-creators and leaders, not beneficiaries. To date the model has delivered a 900 percent increase in income for women seaweed farmers, turning many into the primary breadwinners in their households, with knock-on effects including improved school attendance and, in several cases, university enrolment for their children.
- Over 65 percent of managerial roles are currently held by women, with a minimum 60 percent target maintained going forward.
- Every woman undertakes a five-year training programme spanning chemistry, ecology, financial literacy, and production management.
- The programme has achieved a retention rate of over 80 percent, with two senior farmers already progressed into management.
Key metrics
A concise view of the scale, outcomes, and investment needed for this programme.
100%
Women-led
All seaweed farmers in the programme are women and women-led.
400 ha
Mangroves managed
With 25 hectares actively restored over five years.
75 ha
Coral reef protected
Including 1.5 hectares actively restored.
25 ha
Seagrass protected
Intertidal seagrass beds protected through community stewardship.
130+
Jobs created
For women and youth, including 30 processing roles and over 100 supply-chain roles.
1,250+
Members trained
Representing 12 percent of the Uzi Island population.
100,000+
Seedlings planted
Mangrove seedlings already planted to restore blue carbon ecosystems.
Year 5
Financial sustainability
The ReGen Fund is designed to taper philanthropy as partner investment grows.
DELIVERY AND INVESTMENT
Delivery and investment
The programme runs on a five-year implementation horizon, with philanthropic support highest in Year 1 and tapering as efficiency and partner investment grow.
The 2026 programme budget is USD 1,090,000, channelled into a community-managed ReGen Fund overseen by a steering committee. Cost efficiencies of roughly USD 180,000 have already been achieved by sharing staff and resources across existing partner programmes.
OUR PARTNERS
Partnerships
Delivered with Mwani Zanzibar, conservation partner Mwambao Coastal Community Network, and the Wildlife Conservation Society, alongside Blue Ventures, the Zanzibar Department of Forestry and Non-Renewable Natural Resources, the Ministry of Blue Economy and Fisheries, and research partners including Nelson Mandela University.
Get involved
ReGen proves that business itself can be a powerful tool for regeneration. With catalytic funding we can accelerate this momentum, scale impact, strengthen the science, and deliver measurable proof that ocean recovery and community prosperity rise together.