This project is bore from a love of culture, personality and perspective and photography is our avenue for sharing about Zanzibar and to appreciate Zanzibar’s behind-the-scenes culture. It started with an idea, a few Nikon Cool Pic Cameras, a crash course in point ‘n’ shoot photography and a group of students from Zanzibar State University (SUZA). Armed with their cameras for a week at a time, ind
ividual students took photos of their life, their culture, their homes and families, their Zanzibar. With a growing interest and excitement, this project was duplicated with a group from a photo studio in Mapendae. A few more lessons, a few more weeks, and a few more batteries and we are showing Zanzibar Through the Swahili Lens. The intent is to continue developing the photographic eye of Zanzibaris through more photography workshops & lessons, more cameras to practice and more avenues to showcase their talents. The goal of the Through the Swahili Lens project is two-fold: to become economically sustainable for communities and the photographers, and to shed some light and raise awareness about the conditions in which the majority of Zanzibaris work, live, and thrive with the intent to improve these conditions for now and generations to come. The model for sustainability is to sell the photographs in which profits are split 50/50: half to the photographer who took the photo, and half to the Through the Swahili Lens fund. This model ensures that our project goals are met in that the photographers are honoured financially for their time and energy, while our fund is used for good cause projects in Zanzibar communities.
