COMMUNITY FOUNDATION STORIES FROM EAST AFRICA, 2025
Assalam Community Foundation in Zanzibar built a model where everything connects. The PEACE model (Permaculture, Education, Art, Community, Empowerment) creates an ecosystem where each element reinforces the others.
The Science Learning Hub advances STEM education using technology that makes learning accessible. The Permaculture Training Centre teaches 50+ farmers climate-resilient techniques rooted in Zanzibari agricultural traditions. The Cultural Heritage Programme preserves artisan traditions that define Zanzibari identity. Microfinance provides resources for women entrepreneurs building economic independence. In 2024 alone, 20,000 people were impacted.
Financial sustainability comes from social enterprise. Kanga Africa empowers women through creative work in sewing and batik design, generating revenue that funds school supplies for children. Hamamni 1888 creates women entrepreneurs through handmade soap-making, building economic independence. Cafe Africa generates revenue supporting broader humanitarian efforts. The self-sustaining model means less dependency on external funding, more organizational freedom, and continuous community benefit even when external support fluctuates.
Leadership is multi-tiered and deeply local. The Board of Trustees provides strategic direction and oversight. The Village Committee ensures community voice shapes decisions. The Executive Committee handles daily operations and implementation. Communities don’t just benefit from Assalam’s work. They govern it. Board member Kidawa’s journey embodies this. Once helped by Assalam, she now serves as a leader, showing what empowerment actually looks like when it’s real.
The lesson Assalam demonstrates is profound. Strategic community-driven approaches create sustainability programs alone cannot achieve. Success comes from engaging local communities in decision-making from the beginning, creating initiatives that are culturally relevant, practically sustainable, and deeply owned by those served. Fostering collaboration across sectors while empowering local leaders to guide the work ensures solutions are co-created, not imposed. Balance local engagement with inclusive decision-making. Involve community members in shaping projects affecting them. That creates ownership, sustainability, and ecosystem-level change.
