- THE PANJE PROJECT
What is The Panje Project?
The Panje Project (TPP) was established in 2011 to support the educational development of youth in the local Nungwi Village in Zanzibar. The work began after discovering many of the locals were overlooked for work in the nearby hotels and restaurants. The need for labor in the area has risen due to the rise in tourism however many businesses find it difficult to hire local labor due to low educational levels. A high number of locals are poorly educated and lack basic English language skills, leading to majority of hotels importing labor from mainland Tanzania and nearby countries.
Nungwi has become a popular destination for many tourists, attracting an abundance of expertise and skills to the area which could be harvested to empower the local community. TPP aims to utilize tourism as a tool to educate the community by encouraging volunteers who are travelling through Zanzibar to get involved and teach. The Panje Project will begin to deal with these issues by supporting the youth of the village with additional Mathematics and English lessons outside of their school studies. The aim is to further develop their language skills and general education to give them the opportunity to get involved with tourism in the area and a better chance at decent jobs in the future.
We provide volunteer opportunities for people worldwide to live and work abroad in Zanzibar.
Why is TPP needed in Nungwi?
Situated on the northernmost tip of Unguja (main island of Zanzibar), Nungwi is a large traditional fishing village with an abundance of cultural heritage. It is the dhow-building centre as well as becoming one of the major tourist destinations on the Island. Once in the village, one cannot help but notice how traditional and modern heavily rub against each other. You will see local fishermen going on with their daily routine on the waterfront alongside another world of beachside establishments, internet cafes and a collection of guesthouses.
It is visible that the tourism industry in Zanzibar is steadily growing noted by the increase of hotels/guesthouses over recent years, mainly in the Northern area of the island. In fact, Nungwi village is considered by some visitors as “the place to be”, with beautiful beaches and one of the very few places where one can swim without waiting for the tides to come in.
With the increase of hotels/guesthouses, the need for skilled and non-skilled labor has risen. Many businesses find it difficult to hire local labor due to low educational levels. A high number of locals are poorly educated leading to majority of hotels importing labor from mainland Tanzania and nearby countries.
The lack of English speaking locals has also proven to be a setback for both hoteliers and the Nungwi community. With the high influx of tourists from all over the world, there is now a high demand for multi-lingual labor, which is certainly lacking in the village. There is a need to address this situation, to improve the educational levels in the community and to empower the locals.