“Did you already part from your husband?” a border force official asks me at the airport. As a middle-aged woman travelling alone in Zanzibar, I’m the object of much curiosity.
But at the Mamas of Zanzibar cultural and culinary initiative in the 16,000-strong village of Chuini on Zanzibar’s west coast, I’m surrounded by women. When one of the Mamas, Shani, ladles me coconut rice fresh from the cooking pot and tells me the crispy edge bits are traditionally saved for husbands (they call them mahaba, meaning “love”), we exchange a meaningful glance. Many of the 40 local women who work here are divorced, single mums, victims of domestic violence, or a mixture of all of these. Love has let these women down.
Mamas of Zanzibar’s founder Maskat, a 38-year-old mother of three, only got close to her women neighbours after her divorce six years ago – and soon realised that her need to support herself could align with helping them to earn a dignified living.
Matemwe Attitude has a spectacular setting in Zanzibar (Matemwe Attitude)
Before joining Mamas of Zanzibar, most of these women were getting up at the crack of dawn to cook snacks they competed to sell at local schools or on the streets,
