Zanzibar launches Mikoko Hai mangrove restoration project

The STAWI Africa Foundation and Graine de Vie Luxembourg (GdVL) have launched ‘Mikoko Hai’, a three-year initiative aimed at restoring mangrove ecosystems in Zanzibar. The project, formally known as the Community Resilience and Livelihoods through Mangrove Restoration and Agroforestry Project, focuses on Chwaka Bay and Menai Bay.

South Unguja Regional Commissioner Hamida Mussa Khamis officiated the launch. The initiative will operate across at least 15 Shehias, utilizing Eco Credit Groups to ensure local communities are central to the conservation process. The project seeks to address the degradation of coastal ecosystems while simultaneously building sustainable livelihoods for the people who depend on them.

STAWI Africa Foundation Chairperson Eva Wasonga stated that the project aims to bring degraded ecosystems back to health and secure the future of the relationship between the mangroves and the local population. The program integrates mangrove restoration with agroforestry to strengthen both the environment and community resilience.