kufaa-tena

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KUFAA TENA
Bwejuu Women’s Cooperative & Recycling Project

K e e p i n g Z a n z i b a r B e a u t i f u l

Kufaa Tena (Kiswahili: to be useful again) is a project that started when a group of women in Bwejuu began re-using plastic bags that littered street and beaches by
turning them into beautiful and sturdy handbags, baskets and similar items.   This work of Kufaa Tena, now also known as Women's Voice, was instrumental in supporting
the Zanzibar and Tanzanian government's 2006 landmark ban on the import of plastic bags--the first such national law in Africa and one of the first in the world.     Kufaa
Tena/Women's Voice continues today as a textile-based cooperative that still re-uses debris such as clothing and broken glass from the beachfront in their evolving
"green-sewn" non-electric design and decoration business.   Their primary aim is still to help us keep our Zanzibar villages, towns and beach fronts clean while providing
a means of self-sufficiency for local women and resources for local schools. Kufaa Tena began in Zanzibar March 2005 with major support from the Zanzibar Youth
Educational and Development Support Association (ZAYEDESA) in cooperation with the USA and Tanzania-based Osiris Enterprises and the Zanzibar Tourist
Corporation.

In late 2006 the government of
Zanzibar became the first entity
in Africa to ban the import and
use of plastic bags.
Hooray!!! for Zanzibar and kudos
to Kufaa Tena for being a part of
this significant milestone.
Simultaneously, on mainland
Tanzania in Dar es Salaam, a
plastics recycling plant has been
established.
Tanzania is on the move! and
Kufaa Tena has moved on to
their next recycling project:
recycled glass and tile mosaic art,
reclaimed textile crafts and
seaweed baskets. Keep
watching our site for our newest
re-creations.
For more information on Kufaa
Tena, contact coordinator Zakia
Kibuda in Bwejuu at
255-777-455-796
or email zakiakibuda@yahoo.com.
For inquiries outside of Zanzibar and
Tanzania, contact
umtambuzi@sbcglobal.net
Thank you for supporting our efforts.

NOW AVAILABLE!! Online Purchase of the Green-sewn Obama Chef's Apron
and Multi-use SackBag as well as the limited remaining supply of
Kufaa Tena Recycled Handbags and Baskets. Use PAY PAL to purchase aprons
and bags at $20 each plus shipping and handling in the USA.

CLICK HERE

and Rest Safe, Secure and Assured as you Help Us Keep Zanzibar Beautiful

Zanzibar Loves and
Congratulates U.S. President
Barack Obama. A little-known
fact is that President Obama's
grandfather lived in and
received his name from
Zanzibar. In honor of this, Kufaa
Tena/Women's Voice created
the Barack Obama Chef's Apron
and Multi-Use SackBag from the
traditional kanga cloth in red,
yellow or blue.