Destination Zero Waste Zanzibar

Zanzibar, a jewel of the Indian Ocean with rich culture and stunning beaches, attracts over 400,000 tourists annually. However, the island faces a growing plastic waste crisis due to inadequate municipal waste management systems. Most waste, especially plastic and glass, ends up in landfills or the ocean, threatening both the environment and Zanzibar’s appeal as a travel destination. Despite the potential of a circular economy, efforts to reuse materials remain limited, while many women and youth continue to face barriers to employment, deepening social and economic inequality.

The TUI Care Foundation has been working with social enterprise Chako to help create a cleaner Zanzibar. Building on its previous phases, the new project phase continues to focus on waste reduction, upcycling, capacity building and waste awareness activities. Additionally, it introduces a dedicated training centre and incubation hub for local artisans, aimed at nurturing a new generation of entrepreneurs in sustainable waste management.

Destination Zero Waste Zanzibar enters a new phase that builds on the previous efforts to address the island’s pressing waste and plastic pollution challenges. It partners with 250 tourism businesses to collect 1080 tonnes of glass and 67,000kg of plastic waste from these businesses and upcycle 810,000 kg glass and 52,000 kg plastic. This waste is then turned into beautiful high-quality interior items crafted by local artisans.

The project introduces two key components: a training centre and a pilot incubation hub, designed to promote sustainable entrepreneurship and empower local communities. The training centre provides unemployed women and young people with practical experience in the full cycle of waste transformation - from collecting plastic and glass waste from the tourism industry to designing and producing upcycled products. In addition to technical and creative upcycling skills, trainees gain essential business competencies such as entrepreneurship, cost calculation, and marketing. This immersive learning environment reinforces the principles of a circular economy and demonstrates the real-world potential of sustainable practices.

Complementing the training centre, the pilot hub is a dedicated space for artisans and entrepreneurs to collaborate, innovate, and grow their ventures. The hub offers shared workspaces, access to specialised machinery, mentorship and coaching. It also supports research and development of new product lines and provides small-scale financial support through loans and grants.

The project also plays a vital role in job creation and economic empowerment, particularly for women. It aims to create or maintain 50 jobs, including 30 for women, and to provide training to 40 local people through workshops and one-on-one sessions.

In addition to its environmental and economic goals, the project contributes to sustainable tourism. Tourists and local community groups are invited to visit the factory and learn about upcycling and waste reduction. In total, 3,000 people are expected to participate in these sustainable tourism experiences, further raising awareness and building support for circular economy practices.

PROJECT PARTNER

Chako means ‘yours’ in Swahili, and it is the best word to describe its products, mission and vision. Founded in Zanzibar in 2010 as a social, creative enterprise, it trains uneducated and unemployed young men and women to create handcrafted, upcycled items from waste. The aim is to empower, skill, educate, preserve the (marine) environment and contribute to the (circular) economy of this beautiful pearl in the Indian Ocean. Chako is the first guaranteed member of the World Fair Trade Organization (WFTO) in Zanzibar and a leader in promoting fair wages, working and living circumstances, next to environmental awareness through re- and upcycling on the island.

Focusing on fair wages, fair work, fair treatment, fair chances, no discrimination and a fair environment, social enterprise Chako invests all of its revenue to create more jobs, training, awareness programmes and solutions to re- and upcycle the tourism induced waste on the beautiful island of Zanzibar.

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