Advent Magic, 29 November 2023
As Malou is still in Zanzibar, we were unable to take part in any Christmas markets this year. However, our handicrafts from Zanzibar could be bought at Amina and Livia's stand at the Advent Magic in Bonstetten. Many thanks to the two young ladies!
Project work Oktober 2023
Our visit to Zanzibar this year lasted just over two weeks. Nevertheless, we were able to advance and visit several projects.
As every autumn, we purchased the necessary fabrics for the school uniforms and textbooks for our project RIZIKI project.
At the Smart Center, which we have been supporting for some time now, we were able to receive a certificate for our help and see at the great development of the education offered by the local NGO. The construction of a large water tank for the community is also making progress.
In addition, Alima will start her training as a cook in the project ELIMU in October 2023.
Malou travelled to Mafia Island (an island south of Zanzibar) in mid-October to build twelve toilets for our project CHOO. She accompanied the project on site for seven weeks until all the toilets were completed. You can find her fascinating report on the project page.
15 years Maisha Zanzibar Switzerland (23 June 2008 - 23 June 2023)
How time flies. We are celebrating our 15th anniversary and thank everyone who has made this possible.
Annual concert the joyful singers - 29 April 2023
As last year, we could receive half of the collection for Maisha Zanzibar at the annual concert of The Joyful Singers on 29 April 2023 in Jonschwil. For more than an hour we were entertained and carried away by the gospel songs. Many thanks to the singers and especially to the conductor Sabrina Bachmann for the great evening.
Project work September / October 2022
During our annual visit to Zanzibar, we were able to enrol two more young women at Julius Nyerere University under the ELIMU project, as well as deliver some laptops to our existing students.
As every year, we bought the materials for the uniforms and the needed textbooks for the students in the RIZIKI project together with our local co-worker.
We also visited the Smart Center, which we supported with donations, and could see that our money was well invested. New classrooms have been built, and the school's offerings have been expanded to include French, soap making, sewing and cooking classes. At the moment the center is building a water tank, which will be available not only to the school, but also to the local population free of charge.
Thanks to a generous donation of materials (baby clothes) from a friend in Switzerland, we were able to make many mothers and their infants happy.
QR-invoices, September 2022
The changeover from the red and orange payment slips to the QR invoice must be completed by the end of September. All donors who either still use our red payment slips or have made a standing order with them, please use the QR code below (take a picture and hold it in the laptop camera or download the pdf) or write to us if you would like a personalised invoice.
Thank you very much!
Annual concert The Joyful Singers - 5. Juni 2022
At this year's annual concert of The Joyful Singers on Pentecost Sunday in Jonschwil, we were lucky to receive half of the collection for Maisha Zanzibar. It was a fantastic musical evening! We would like to thank the choir under the direction of Sabrina Bachmann and all visitors of the concert for the generous donation!
Smart Center, February 2022
We saw a wonderful development during our last visit to Sharifu Bakari's Smart Center
We met Sharifu a long time ago. At that time he attended the Zanzibar Institute of Financial Administration to become a certified accountant. As is often the case, his family did not have enough money for the last semester and the exam fees. Seeing how hard Sharifu had worked, we decided to donate the necessary funds from us privately. Sharifu has successfully completed his studies in April 2019.
Happy about his degree, he now wants to pass on his knowledge to adults who could only attend primary school in his home village of Nungwi.
That is why he founded the Smart Center. There he offers various courses such as English, computer skills, business plan for start-ups etc. at very low prices. This gives many young people the opportunity to further their education and make something of their lives.
The premises still lack furniture, books, electricity, computers and other furnishings. That is why we have decided to support the Smart Center with money. Help for self-help - it works!
Christmas Market in Dietikon, 27 November 2021
On 27 November 2021, we participated again with our African stand at the Christmas market in Dietikon ZH. We sold soaps, bags made of cement and flour sacks, scarves, pillowcases, necessaires and greeting cards made of African fabric, placemats and self-made baby clothes and caps made of sheep's wool (made and donated by Suzanne Eggenberger). Despite the cold temperatures, we welcomed many visitors, had good conversations and raised several hundred francs for the NGO and our projects.
Project work October 2021
After a long 20 months, we could finally travel to Zanzibar again in October.
A lot has changed especially for the population as a result of Corona. Many people have become unemployed since tourism has plummeted and are now struggling along as day laborers.
We were happy to see that our co-worker King Banda took good care of our education projects during our absence. News about this can be found under projects RIZIKI and ELIMU.
Project RIZIKI: We went shopping for fabrics for the needed uniforms, as well as exercise books for our students who are still in the project. While distributing the notebooks we had again the opportunity to see "our" children, who have developed into young adults during the last years.
Project ELIMU: From our RIZIKI project we were able to enroll a young woman, Fatiha, at the University of Zanzibar. She wants to become a teacher. Since there was still a place available, she was able to start her studies already on 25 October 2021.
Corona emergency aid, May 2020
Zanzibar is not only affected by heavy rains and floods this spring, the corona virus and the lack of tourists is also a huge problem, especially for day labourers, single parents and people dependent on tourists. Sometimes the poorest do not know how to pay for the next meal. We have decided to support the worst affected people with food donations (rice and beans). Our friends Beryl and David Mandara organized the purchase and distribution. Here is a message from Beryl to all our donors:
A heart felt thank you to all the sponsors from Maisha Zanzibar for their help during a very difficult time here in Zanzibar. Not only Ramadan but the closures of all hotels, restaurants and bars have left the villagers all over the island without an income. Especially hard hit are the people that live day to day, hand to mouth. There are no little jobs to be done! Women without husbands but have children are struggling daily to feed their families, from these people a huge thank you to all of you at Maisha Zanzibar Switzerland. You have provided basic foods like rice and beans to many needy people. Thank you from Nungwi village, stay safe.
Project work January, February 2020
During our stay in Zanzibar from 17 January to 10 February 2020 we were able to advance the following projects:
Project CHOO: We spent a week on the mainland of Tanzania in the Handeni district, where we set up the construction of 8 toilets each in the remote villages of Kolanga and Kinkwembe. We were able to get everything underway so that King Banda could supervise and complete the work in the following weeks. By the end of April 2020 all 16 toilets were completed.
Project ELIMU: With 16 year old Moza Abraham Juma we visited the Mwalimu Nyerere Memorial Academy in Zanzibar, where she will complete the Certificate in Library and Information Management (one year). The financing of follow-up studies (diploma, bachelor) is possible.
Project DAWA: Thanks to a donation of the county hospital St. Gallen we were able to deliver about 100 baby tights to the Gasparini Children's Hospital (Kendwa, Zanzibar).
Projekt Choo, Kidoti, August 2019
The 16 toilets we built in 2017 in the district of Kidoti on seven different sites in the hamlets of Kidagoni, Mtakuja, Bundi and Gereji were adapted to the new construction method and repaired during Malou's stay in Zanzibar.
With the conversion of these toilets, all 92 toilets built between 2011 and 2017 on Zanzibar and the mainland have now been converted in such a way that they can withstand the environmental impacts for longer and are easier to maintain for the locals.
Spring market Dietikon, 11 May 2019
The spring market on 11 May 2019 in Dietikon, where Maisha Zanzibar was represented with a stand, was windy and rainy, wherefore there where not many visitors who were eager to buy. Nevertheless, we were able to sell some of the goods brought from Zanzibar, present our projects and make new contacts.We will put the sales proceeds back into our projects in Tanzania.
In Memoriam
On 3rd April 2019 our friend, uncle and sponsor Adrian Müller died. For the numerous generous donations in his memory and the support of our projects we would like to thank all family members and friends warmly.
Project work January, February 2019
During our stay in Zanzibar from 17 January to 14 February 2019 we focused on the following projects:
Project CHOO: This year we have focused on rebuilding the toilets we built in Fukuchani in 2016 to work properly. By our departure in mid-February, all 16 toilets had been completed.
Project ELIMU: We have good news from the two young women Wahida and Siti. Both of them have completed their vocational training as tailor and cook with certificate and have already found employment.
Two other young women came to ask for support of their further education:
Mahija, a very good pupil, wants to study chemistry and was looking for sponsorship since 2 years for the family is rather poor. Her joy about our commitment was tremendous! She will start her studies in July 2019.
Zakia has already started her training as a teacher in Stone Town, but needed financial support to continue her studies, which we granted her.
Hassan is one of our children from the RIZIKI project. He finished school and will attend from March 2019 the Zanzibar Institute of Tourism to take on hotel and hospitality studies.
Project DAWA: The Gasparini Children's Hospital (Kendwa, Zanzibar) received around 100 baby romper suits thanks to a donation from the County Hospital St. Gallen. Our contact on site, Christina Holesek, told us that later the same day three babies were born and were dressed in the donated rompers.
Project work on the mainland, October to December 2018
From October to December 2018, our colleague King Banda converted all 8 toilets in Mandakini and 20 toilets in Jasini, built 2014 and 2015 to the new design. Furthermore, two additional new toilets were built in Mandakini (project CHOO). Moreover, we were able to have 20 school desks built for the school in Madakini (project SKULI).
Project Choo, Kigunda, August 2018
During Malou's stay in Zanzibar, the total of 20 toilets built in Kigunda in 2012 and 2014 were adapeted to the new construction and repaired.
10 years Maisha Zanzibar Switzerland (23 June 2008 - 23 June 2018)
With great joy and pride we can celebrate the tenth anniversary of our association on 23 June 2018.
During those years we have experienced, learned, sweated, laughed and implemented a lot. The past ten years were rich in experience and turbulent. Nevertheless we would not want to miss it.
All of this would not have been possible without our faithful donors and sponsors and therefore at this point a huge thank you for the great support.
Now we are tackling the future...
Project CHOO, Zingibari, March - May 2018
After our departure from Zanzibar at the end of January 2018, our project manager King Banda soon set off for the Tanzanian mainland. For two months he launched, organised and supervised the construction of 10 toilets in the village of Zingibari, near the Kenyan border. By the end of May 2018, the five double toilets were ready for use.
Project work in Zanzibar, January 2018
From 28 December 2017 to 26 January 2018 we were on the island. This time we focused on the following projects:
CHOO: Checking on the toilets we've built, to determine if repairs were needed and if necessary to take action. The detailed report you find here.
SKULI: For the schools iin the villages Kiguunda (Zanzibar) and Mandakini (Tanzania Mainland) we ordered 20 school benches each.
RIZIKI: We checked the state of academic development of each of the 49 sponsored children and handed over school books for the upcoming school year. Some of the sponsored children finished school last November and the question was: What's next? This motivated us to implement a new project:
ELIMU: With the new project ELIMU we aim to support young people in their further education, so they are able to get an approved certificate which will help them to get employed, for young women especially important. Due to generous donations we now finance the education of four young girls and support a young men to get his university degree.
Donated T-shirts, shirts and sweaters we distributed among the ocal fishermen.
Christmas Market in Dietikon, 2 and 3 December 2017
On 2 and 3 December 2017, the annual Christmas Market took place in Dietikon ZH, where we participated for the third time with a "Zanzibar booth". We sold soaps, bags of cement and flour sacks, scarves, spice pictures, pillowcases made of African fabric, tea, placemats and self-made baby clothes and sheep wool hats (made and donated by Suzanne Eggenberger). Despite temperatures around the freezing point and a little restrained purchase joy of the market visitors, we could take some hundred francs for the NGO and our projects.
WHO-report 6 March 2017
According to a new report of the World Health Organization (WHO) published on 6 March 2017, unhealthy environments, unsafe water and inadequate hygiene take the lives of 1.7 million children under 5 years every year.
361,000 of these children die due to diharrea, as a result of poor access to clean water, sanitation, and hygiene.
Such figures strenghten us to provide access to public toilets by building more toilets in Tanzania (project CHOO). WHO report 6 March 2017.
Project work Zanzibar, January 2017
Our vacation namely implementation of projects, was limited to four weeks only (27 December 2016 - 27 January 2017). Definitely not enough time for our zest of action.
Nevertheless with help from our project manager King Banda, we were able to conduct some projects. As usual the clearing of the container posed the biggest challenge. It always takes a lot of paperwork and running from ministry to ministry to get all the necessary signatures and seals. But eventually we succeeded.
The following projects were implemented in January 2017:
Project CHOO: In the district of Kidoti we built on seven different sites in the hamlets of Kidagoni, Mtakuja, Bundi and Gereji 16 toilets.
Project SKULI: We upgraded the village school in Kigunda with another 20 desks.
Project RIZIKI: We bought school books and pens for all the sponsored pupils directly in the village of Nungwi. Most of the kids collected them in person at our houses. Five of the pupils will finish school in 2017.
Project DAWA: The district hospital in Kivunge was supplied with dressing material, crutches, bed sheets, sterile gloves, clothing for the operation room, cannulas, syringes, gauzes and glasses. The children hospital of the Gasparini foundation in Kendwa received baby bottles, plasters, dressing material, band aids, sterile gloves and gauzes.
With all the collected shoes we arranged a bazaar in the village of Kigunda which was much appreciated by the locals. The earned profit we handed over to the village committee. With this money they will finance the necessary repainting or repairs of the toilets we built in 2012 and 2014 there.
The computer schools of Nungwi and Kigunda received additional computers and screens.
Ship container no. 5, October 2016
Since the founding of our NGO the fifth container was sent off to Zanzibar at mid of October. If all goes as planned, we will receive it at the end of December in Zanzibar. Then the diistribution of relief supplies in the various hospitals and schools will take place. We will also organize a shoe bazaar. The proceeds will be used to support a project in the village of bazaar discharge.
Our special thanks for the support, the organisation, storage and transportation of the goods in the last weeks and months go to:
- Hans Rüetschi Elektromotoren und Antriebe AG, (Roland Vogel)
- OZ Buechenwald, OZ Rosenau, Schulamt Gossau (Nicolà Eggenberger)
- Kantonsschule Winterthur (Christine Sigrist)
- Hirslanden Klinik, Zürich
- Kantonsspital St.Gallen, house 02, team 0203 (Rahel Eggenberger)
- Mirco Minola
- SSC Sihltaler Sportclub (Claudio Giger)
- Conny, Nicolà, Roli, Pierre and Valentin who loaded the container in no time
In Memoriam
Our friend Georg Malek deceased on September 30st this year. He and his wife Sylvia have been generously supporting our NGO for many years with much needed hospital material, the organisation of computers, financial assistance of our projects and sponsorship of school children. But also, on site in Zanzibar, Georg took wherever it was needed matters in hand. During such actions, we often laughed a lot and those memories will stay forever.
For the numerous donations in memory of Georg, we thank you Sylvia, family members, friends and acquaintances warmly.
Anouncement Bazar in Zurich Höngg in November, September 2016
On November 4th and 5th, 2016, the annual bazar of the reformed church community takes place in Zurich Hoengg. A part of the sales proceeds will be donated to Maisha Zanzibar, thank you very much!
Project SKULI Mandakini, June 2016
Thanks to contributions from our long-time and loyal sponsors we were able to order 30 urgently needed school desks for the village school in Mandakini (mainland Tanzania). In 2015 we have built toilets there. Visiting the ongoing project we also took a look at the school and noticed that most classrooms were equipped with only few or no desks at all.
Manufactuing and delivery was supervised by our project assistant King Banda.
Also in the future we will support other small village schools so they are able to impart knowledge under the best possible conditions.
Donation from Lions Club Schaffhausen, April 2016
In December 2015 we were invited to present our NGO Maisha Zanzibar to the Lions Club Schaffhausen. The interesting and stimulating evening resulted in a generous donation which ensures the construction of 10 additional toilets.
In January 2017 we personally will be on site for the implementation.
Zanzibar assignment, January - February 2016
As usual also this year we spent our vacation in Zanzibar to oversee the following projects:
Finally we were able to distribute the charity goods which have been sent to Zanzibar at the end of 2014.
The Rinaldo Gasparini Maternal and Child Health Clinic in Kendwa received blood pressure cuffs, sterile gauzes, plaster, disposable syringes, needles and bandages. Angela Giacomazzi, the italian senior physician at the hospital was very happy about it.
The district hospital in Kivunge we provided with lots of dressing material, blood pressure cuffs, stretchers, splints, disposable syringes, crutches and glasses. The two volunteer doctors from the english organisation HIPZ, Shuang Wang (UK) and Alex Vogt (GE) reassured the significance of such donations in kind.
In the district of Fukuchani (appr. 20 km south of Nungwi) with the hamlets of Kigongoni, Mvuleni and Fukuchani we started to build 16 dry toilets on seven different sites. According to experience the excavation of the holes turned out to be very labor-intensiv as well as time-consuming due to the coral rock ground. This delayed the further construction work. Thanks to the amazing commitment of Hassani, the site supervisor (he built before on mainland Tanzania toilets for us) and our project manager King Banda the toilets will be completed and handed over to the villagers by the end of March.
Anually, before school begins we go to buy the required exercise books and pens and deliver them personally to each of our sponsored children. The tailoring of the uniforms starts in October and is usually finished by the time we arrive at the end of December.
Maisha Zanzibar in the media, January 2016
The Höngger local journal reported about our work in the January edition: (german)
Zanzibar / Jasini (Tanzania mainland), August 2015
The charity goods we sent last december were stuck in the port of Dar es Salaam for almost 8 months. Finally at the end of July 15 they arrived in Zanzibar. We will distribute them next December when we are on site again.
Malou Burgi visited Tanzania for two short weeks and together with our project manager Kingi Banda they went about the next 10 toilets for the village of Jasini. In 2014 we have built there already toilets, but for more than 3‘000 inhabitants it was not enough.
Kingi Banda conducted the necessary discussions with the village committee and began with the excavation for the toilets.
When Malou arrived all the pits were ready and they started with the superstructurs. Unexpected heavy rains delayed the activity. However all the compelled construction material was bought and after Malous departure, Kingi Banda supervises the copletion of the toilets. The work should be finished by mid-September.
Let's talk about toilets, June 2015
Every third person on the globe (about 2.4 billion) has no access to reasonable toilets, criticizes a report of UNICEF and WHO, published in June 2015. According to the report, 1000 children under five years die every day due to diarrheal diseases linked to bad water quality and lack of sanitary facilities.
Although this topic has an immense dimension and is worldwide represented in the press, small NGOs like "Maisha Zanzibar" still face big difficulties to convince charitable foundations of the necessity for sanitary facilities in third world countries. We will hang in there!
Here some articles regarding this vital matter:
Zanzibar, January 2015
Hardly arrived in Zanzibar we found out that our shipped charity goods had arrived in Africa, but not as expected in Zanzibar, but in Dar es Salaam (mainland Tanzania). Once more we found ourselves in the middle of the everyday African chaos, but incidents like this don't disconcert us anymore. At the end of January the goods are still at the port in Dar es Salaam, but with a little help from our friends an co-workers on site, we are positive the goods will make their way eventually to Zanzibar.
Project CHOO: The first 50 dry toilets are constructed! This year and thanks to a donation of Markant-Foundation we were able to build 8 further toilets in the village of Mandakini (mainland Tanzania). Being close to Jasini were we built 10 toilets in June 2014, we decided to go there too and check them. They are in brisk use and are functioning perfectly. The demand for more toilets is on Zanzibar and Tanzania mainland equally high since the positive effects (less cases of live theatening diarrhea) shows.
We feel very strongly about this project and therefore want to build much more toilets.
Project SKULI: 30 school desks for Kigunda. Through the sponsorship of the "Swissair staff foundation for children in need" and private donations it was possible to carpenter 30 further desks for the school in Kigunda. Many more village schools still need desks.
Project RIZIKI: As every year we visited the sponsored kids and this time we took the opportunity to take new pictures of most of the little ones. All of them finished nursery school and are attending primary or secondary school now. The kids have matured much - real young ladies and gentlemen.
Merry Christmas, December 2014
It's that time of year again and we will take off to Zanzibar on 26 December 2014 to build more dry toilets, carpenter school benches and to dispense the charity goods which we have shipped in October to the island.
A warm thank you to all our donors and sponsors for the continuous support of our projects.
Merry Christmas and a happy New Year.
Three cubic meter of charity goods for Zanzibar, November 2014
This year it was not possible to load a whole 20'' container. However during the year a considerable amount of goods were donated. Therefore we decided to send the three cubic meter of books, clothes, dressing material, blood pressure units, crutches, hollow needles, compresses, extrication devices and a bicycle to Zanzibar. In January 2015 we will be on site to receive our cargo.
A big thank you to all donors!
Our first toilets on mainland Tanzania, May / June 2014
For the first time since the foundation of Maisha Zanzibar, we carried out a project on mainland Tanzania. It took place in the village of Jasini, which is located about 100km northwest of Tanga city, the most northern port of Tanzania, close to the border of Kenya. In this village, we built 10 dry toilets.
During the last years, Jasini was afflicted over and over again by typhoid and cholera and many villagers died. The village has neither water nor electricity connections, the roads are very bad and to reach the next hospital takes about 5 hours. Those are the facts which stirred us to start project CHOO (dry toilets) for the first time on the mainland.
The villagers, the village committee and the village's chairperson were very happy and grateful when they learned about our plan. Not only were they grateful, they also offered help as much as possible. For example fabricated the men of Jasini the needed bricks themselves.
Due to the well-founded knowledge of the building technique, our assistant Kingi Banda carried out valuable preliminary work. When Malou arrived at the end of May, all 10 caverns for the toilets were already finished and the superstructures could be started.
Despite the bad road conditions (big rainy season in May) which complicated the material transports, all 10 toilets were finished within four weeks and could be officially handed over to the villagers of Jasini. From adjacent villages new requests for dry toilets reached us already before our return trip.
It was another good an pleasing experience for Maisha Zanzibar and therefore we will contemplate future projects in Tanzania.
A waterpump for Kilindo, March 2014
The village of Kilindo in the dry north of the island (appr. 1,000 inhabitants) has a source available, but no functioning pump to bring the water into the tanks. Therefore the sponsored water pump from Hans Rüetschi Elektromotoren und Antriebe AG arrived just at the right time.
Kingi Banda arranged the installation of the pump together with staff of ZAWA (Zanzibar Water Authority). Now 3,000 litres of water are flowing per minute and to the joy of the villagers the tanks are full at all times.
Work in Zanzibar December 2013 / January 2014
Project CHOO: Although our time was limited to five weeks only, 10 more dry toilets were built in the village of Kigunda. For the first time the villagers built the toilets autonomously without any help of a construction company. Therefore it was up to us to buy all the construction material. This was really a challenge, but with help from our co-workers on site we managed. The toilets are finished and since February in use.
For the school in Kigunda 50 desks were timbered. Now at least 100 children are able to sit and write on a desk during class.
Every year more children attend the nursery school in Nungwi, therefore chairs are in great demand. So far we supplied them with 60 chairs and delivered 25 more in January 2014 - we will stay on the ball.
The Nungwi Islamic school raised a request for financial support to complete their school building. Through our contribution the whole plaster work could be finished. This help was much appreciated by the whole village.
Once again we spent exhausting weeks on the island, but thanks to your donations it was a very successful time.
Merry Christmas and a happy new year to all of you, December 2013
The Christmas market in Dietikon, although biting cold, was successful. The sale of our "made in Zanzibar" goods ran nicely and we met many of our regular sponsors personally. The market was also a good opportunity to introduce "Maisha Zanzibar" and its projects to new people. Several of them made generous donations. Thank you very much.
The benefit from the sportive charity event of Kettlebell Lifting Schweiz Association of November 24, 2013 added up to CHF 1,000. With this donation we are able to build half a toilet in Zanzibar. A big thank you to all athletes and donors.
In memoriam, September 2013
The donations we received in memoriam of Heidi Valerie Müller, Peter Carlo Kissling and Werner Koster will be used in January 2014 for our projects "CHOO" (dry toilets) and "SKULI" (school desks). Thank you all.
Charity Event November 24, 2013
The Kettlebell Lifting Schweiz Association organises a sportive charity event on November 24, 2013 for Maisha Zanzibar. It will take place at Sporthalle Schulhaus Kolbenacker, Sperletweg 71, 8052 Zurich. The benefit will be used for our project CHOO and we hope for many visitors.
Project visit June / July 2013
Malou was in Zanzibar from June 23 to July 6, 2013. On the one hand, she bought a lot of goods for the Christmas market which will take place on 30st November and 1st December 2013 in Dietikon ZH. We hope to meet many of our sponsors there. On the other hand she was visiting the current and already completed projects in Kigunda unannounced.
We were curious to see what happened to the computers we brought in January 2013 and the proceeds from the shoe bazar. Hurray hurray, there is a computer room in the school to be made available to the students and with the proceeds from the bazar they continued building a big watertank for all villagers.
Being on site already, Malou had again a good look at the ten dry toilets in Kigunda, built by Maisha Zanzibar in 2012. This result was also positive, the toilets are used, they are clean and there is no odor. Despite all prophecies of doom, it is possible to implement sustainable projects in Africa.
Work on site, January 2013
During our stay in Zanzibar from Christmas 2012 until February 2013 we achieved the following for our NGO Maisha Zanzibar:
Project SKULI: Together with the villagers of Upenja we continued building the teacher’s staff house. This project was launched in April 2012. By the time we left Zanzibar the staff house was almost completed.
Project UHURU: Thanks to the generous donation of InnerWheel Club, Zurich, we were able to support the women’s group in Upenja again. This time the donation financed the start-up supplies for the production of handmade soap.
Project DAWA: The cottage hospital in Kivunge was very pleased to receive its first ultrasound machine as well as medical goods and pharmaceuticals. Fortunately, shortly after our departure, an English doctor spent some weeks at the hospital to instruct doctors and staff about the correct handling of the machine and the interpretation of the sonograms.
Shoe market: Unfortunately, our container which we shipped end of November 2012 did not arrive before the very last day of our stay. In a rush we distributed the charity goods at night to Kivunge Hospital and the schools of Upenja (chemistry laboratory) and Kigunda (computers, paper and books). Due to our promise to organize a shoe bazaar in Kigunda, we held the market just a few hours before our departure to Switzerland. The earned profit we handed over to the village committee. They used the money to finish a water tank for the community. Tired but very happy we rushed to the airport.
Project RIZIKI: This year, we decided not to enroll more children in preschool instead, also by means of sponsorship, six young ladies were able to start secondary school in February 2013.
Project CHOO: Even though we couldn't build further toilets this year, we went to Kigunda to survey the ones that were built last year. The villagers are using them regularly and they are clean and odorless. We have even been asked for more - complete success!
Have a good journey, Container No. 4, November 2012
For the fourth time within the last four years we sent a container with charity goods to Zanzibar. Thanks to the help of family members, friends, colleagues and even people to us unknown, we collected a lot of shoes, computers, mobile phones, medicine, medical supplies, one ultrasonic machine, microscopes, books, exercise books, paper, toys and bicycles to fill the container.
Thank you for your generosity.
Generous donations for "SKULI" and "UHURU", October 2012
Thanks to generous donations from The UsitawiNetwork, Club Zurich, InnerWheel Zurich and the Foundation Kinderhilfe des Swissair Personals we are able to realize the next stages of project SKULI and project UHURU. Maisha Zanzibar will be on site in January 2013 to launch, expedite and control the projects. Thank you, sponsors!
Collection for the next container, July 2012
The next container for Zanzibar will be launched in November 2012, full of goods for Zanzibar. This time, we are looking for the following:
- shoes (all kinds of but no high heels)
- computers, laptops and handys (no SIM lock)
- english books (simple english)
- bikes and bicycles
Many thanks for your donation, we hope to fill the container up!
Spring market Dietikon, May 12th 2012
After the Christmas market, we also joined in on the Spring market in Dietikon.
We sold directly imported shawls, soaps and spices from Zanzibar. Thanks to help of friends we also had home made Zanzibar spiced cookies and spiced chai (tea) for sale.
New project UHURU, May 2012
With part of the money from our donors, we financed the start up for a project of a women's group in Upenja.
New project SKULI, April 2012
Maisha Zanzibar and The Usitawi Network, Club Zurich are building in the village of Upenja a staff house for teachers, so the approx. 400 students are able to get appropriate education.
Volunteers, March 2012
For the second time, two Swiss volunteers are working on behalf of Maisha Zanzibar over a period of two months. Yves Straub, a doctor, supports the hospital in Kivunge with his knowledge. Christine Sigrist teaches english at the secondary school in Nungwi. The are accompanied by Malou on site.
Ground-breaking project CHOO in Kigunda, February 2012
By aid of the sole financing of Foundation Kinderhilfe des Swissair Personals Maisha Zanzibar has the ability to build toilets for a village a second time, this year in Kigunda, 15km south of the most northern part of Zanzibar. The ground breaking was on 10th February 2012.
School enrolment of 20 new children, January 2012
During our stay we could meet the new sponsered children and register their personal data together with the project manger in Nungwi, Mr. Kingi Banda.
Christmas market in Dietikon, November 2011
On the 26th and 27th of November 2011 we participated in the Christmas market in Dietikon with a Zanzibar-booth. Besides the selling of soaps, shawls, body oil and candles we had the chance to socialize with many new and interesting people. Thank you to all the generous donors and buyers!
Volunteers for Nungwi, October 2011
For the first time we have two Swiss teachers , Bettina Gordon and Fredi Stark, working on behalf of Maisha Zanzibar at the school of Nungwi. For three months they will instruct students and teachers there.
We are looking forward to their reports!
Feel free to visit Bettinas blog with the detailed news by clicking on this link.
20 new pupils project "RIZIKI", September 2011
The searching for new sponsors for pupils for the year 2012 was more than successful. 20 boys and girls will start their school next year in Nungwi.
Charity Star-Winner, May 2011
Maisha Zanzibar wins 1'000 Euro as participant in "Charity Star"!
Many thanks for your support!
Work on site, January - May 2011
During our extended stay in Zanzibar we managed to do the following on behalf of Maisha Zanzibar NGO:
Visiting our 15 new and 15 "old" pupils and their parents. We found out that five of those families live in extrem poverty and therefore we supported them with rice, beans and clothes.
Clearing of the container and distributing charity goods from Switzerland to the orphanage in Stonetown, the school and nursery school in Nungwi, Dr. Haroun and the hospital in Kivunge (find the details under project DAWA, "Health").
With the donated clothes and shoes we arranged another, by the locals very appreciated bazaar. The raised money we used to support the building of a watertank and washing facilities for the school. This enlargement of our project CHOO was possible because due to the good exchange rate of the US dollar we didn't use our budget for the 12 toilets to its full extend.
Meeting with the village commitee of Upenja and visiting their primary school. Evaluation for a new project to support the school with more facilities, such as a laboratory, library and meeting room.
Realisation of project CHOO (find the details under project CHOO, "Health"). To get the necessary construction permit and to inform all the respective governmental persons was a very tedious process. Due to a very rocky ground the excavation was also delayed, so we decided to prolong our stay for three weeks to be there for the finishing of the project.
How to load a container in 120 minutes, December 2010
The third container has been loaded and left the premises of Planzer Transport AG on December 18th, 2010. On behalf of Maisha Zanzibar we want to thank all the volunteers which helped us load the container at an incredible speed. They hauled in only 2 hours tons of charity goods, such as hospital beds, medical goods, bicycles, toys, furniture, books, clothes and shoes. A special thank goes to Mr. Marco Hunziker of Planzer Transport AG - without him the storage and the smooth work flow of the loading would not have been possible.
Now we are ready for the next months in Zanzibar. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year 2011.
Project Choo is fully financed! November 2010
Thanks to a very generous donation from the Foundation Kinderhilfe des Swissair Personals, our project is financed to its full extent. We are very happy and can't wait for the implementation of it. To make sure everything, such as the construction and its financing is going well, we want to be on site personally. Therefore we resigned from our jobs in Switzerland and go to Zanzibar on January 1st 2011 to stay there for at least four months.
Generous donation for project "CHOO", October 2010
Our toilet project found a new donor. It's the Inner Wheel Club Zurich. Hopefully we will soon have enough funds to realise this project, thank you very much!
15 new pupils project "RIZIKI", September 2010
The searching for new sponsors for pupils for the year 2011 was very successful. 15 boys and girls aged 4 to 10 can start their school next year in Nungwi.
New project "CHOO", July 2010
After many unsuccessful enquiries at different foundations, we finally got an agreement from Paul-Schiller-Foundation for a partial amount for the planned project "CHOO" (sanitary facilities).
However, to realise the project to its full extent, we still are in need of donations.
Detailed information about the project you find under projects – health – "CHOO" (sanitary facilities).
Maisha Zanzibar successful at the FairFair market, Afro Pfingsten May 2010
Our information booth at the FairFair market was a great success!
The soaps, massage oils and scarfs we brought from Zanzibar found a ready market and added some money into our NGO cash box. Even more important was the possibility to introduce our NGO, our goals and future projects to a wide audience.
People were interested and we had many exhilarating conversations and were able to establish new contacts with wonderful people (e.g. Family Schaufelberger). All the other NGOs at the market gave us input for future projects (e.g. ADES solar project).
Even from Germany we got visitors. Antje and Mario (GOZA - Go for Zanzibar) which will launch in June 2010 also a NGO in Zanzibar came to see us. They as well got lots of inspiration at the FairFair market.
Delivery of the second container, February 2010
Again this time to release the container created big problems and it could be cleared only one day before our return trip, but the glow in all the children eyes and the gratitude of the adults was enough compensation for the stress we had.
With the donated shoes and clothes we arranged a bazaar, selling the goods at minimal price (45 to 90 cents). From the proceeds we were able to replace the run down roof of the nursery school. Through this activity the locals learned a good lesson of “empowerment to self help” and were very happy about it. A great demand for a future bazaar exists (even though just the thought of it makes us break out in a sweat) and we sure will arrange another one. These proceeds we would like to invest in sanitary facilities for the school.
The school and nursery school received tables, chairs, desks and black boards as well as paper, folders, exercise books and writing utensils.
The local hospital of Nungwi we provided with urgently needed drugs, X-ray equipment, microscopes and a big amount of medical supplies.
At the orphanage in Stone Town are currently 54 children living. Their age ranges between newborn and a young man at the age of 23.There we dispensed children clothes, shoes, toys, pushchairs, exercise books and writing utensils.
Urgently needed are beds, sheets and pillows, also old bicycles would be helpful.
The second container of this year is being loaded, December 2009
The second sea container of this year was packed to the max. Our voluntary workers moved and arranged tons of pharmaceuticals, medical goods, vitamins, wheel chairs, clothes, toys, school desks, chairs, black boards, computers, pens, pencils and many other things.
Great work, you are the best – thank you so much!!!
Another container is in planning, October 2009
After we returned from Zanzibar in July 2009 we confirmed by oath not to send another container in the near future, because it was a quite nerve-wracking endeavor. But as so often in life things turn out different than planned.
Hardly back from Africa sponsors donated an x-ray apparatus, big quantities of medical goods as well as school desks, chairs and blackboards. Needless to say we happily accepted everything, but how should we transport the load to Africa?? Oh, sure - per container ship!
So once again we are collecting all kinds of articles, because we want to charge the container to the maximum as the cost of fright is expensive.
In the meantime a storage place (www.myplace.ch) was found in Zurich-Oerlikon, for our private basements are full to bursting. On December 5th 2009 we will send the load off to Africa and if all goes well we will take delivery of the goods in Zanzibar by mid-January 2010.
Two new projects, August 2009
Two new projects:
- Project "DAWA" (medicine) in health
- Project "RIZIKI" (school enrolment) in education
All goods have arrived safely, July 2009
Our Container has safely reached Zanzibar on the 23rd of June 2009. However it required a lot of nerves, countless phone calls and meetings, as well as runs to different authorities before we were able to unload the goods on the 11th of July 2009 and transport them up to Nungwi.
The container is seaborne, May 2009
After endless weeks of collecting clothes, shoes, pharmaceuticals, toys and lots of books, we had to meticulously pack all the goods in cardboard boxes and list each item for the bill of lading. Finally, on 9 May 2009 "our" sea container arrived, just waiting to be packed
With great help from family members and friends (thanks to all of you again), we managed to load approx. 2 tons of aid supplies in one afternoon. The following monday the container was picked up and brought to the port of Rotterdam to be conveyed by ship.
Since 21 May the goods are afloat and should arrive in Zanzibar at the end of June. We look forward to it with great joy.
We fill our first sea container, February, March 2009
The goods we have from our donors will be shipped to Dar es Salaam and from there to Zanzibar in May. So far we collected the following:
- Shoes, clothes
- School material (paper, folders, books, pens etc.)
- pharmaceuticals
- Medical goods (syringes, dressings, stethoscopes, swabs, examination bed, gowns etc.)
- Toothbrushes
- Toys
We want to thank all the donors, sponsors and helpers!To achieve a sustained success with our projects we will be dependent on your donations.
Another delivery, November 2008
Another 50 kg of books, toys and writing utensils have reached Nungwi today. Comment from Zanzibar: "It's like Christmas!"
First mail delivery September 2008
Due to donations from friends and personal purchases by auction in the internet, we were able to send so far 15 kg of books, pens, pencils, crayons, puzzles and other children games to the school and nursery school in Nungwi. Now the next parcel is ready to be sent:
