Coastal Communities Restoring Tanzania's Reefs and Mangroves

Mwambao Coastal Community Network, established in Zanzibar in 2010, works on the principle that 'ocean health is community wealth,' helping villages design and enforce their own fisheries closures and marine protected zones. Its programmes span 37 villages, with more than 3,500 hectares under temporary fisheries closures and 347 hectares set aside as replenishment zones, alongside 130 hectares of community-run mangrove restoration plots and over 1,100 artificial reef balls deployed to rebuild degraded reef habitat. Community savings funds tied to sustainable harvests have generated over $150,000 for participating villages, while vocational scholarships and gender training extend the benefits to young women along the coast.