Poster illustrating the Sazani Approach.
Sazani
Sazani has piloted and expanded an approach to support the development of sustainable livelihoods through education and training in Zanzibar, incl. the delivery of a curriculum to embed Education for Sustainable Development into teacher training and classroom delivery; Provision of training in climate smart appropriate technologies; Supporting climate smart enterprises, incl. jam production using rocket stoves, solar drying as well as bee keeping, mud crab fattening and sustainable agriculture.
Last update: 30 Sep 2020
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Context
Challenges addressed
Rural people in Zanzibar remain in extreme poverty. The growth of tourism competes with local subsistence activities that draw on the assets of the poor. The decline of livelihoods and increase in population results in overuse of resources. Tourism exasperates the problem through overexploitation of natural capitals. Communities need to be aware of the importance of coastal resources to their livelihoods. A lack in understanding and awareness or skills for viable sustainable livelihood activities is a problem.
Location
Zanzibar Archipelago (Unguja and Pemba)
East and South Africa
Process
Summary of the process
Supporting community institutions, social learning, problem solving and introducing new technologies whilst respecting and learning indigenous voices gives a platform for solutions. Collecting data collaboratively over time and spatially linking the data enables analysis and supports the design for new approaches. Ultimately the building blocks create the solution.
Building Blocks
Livelihoods analysis of assets and strengths
The analysis of assets and strengths is the first step in engaging communities to understand what they perceive to be their assets and strengths at individual and community level and to differentiate between the assets by grouping them according to their nature: social, human, physical, financial or natural. This ensures that the focus from the outset is positive and on what works.
Enabling factors
Synthesizing information, creating space for knowledge enhancement and sharing of experiences to understand and change outcomes from local people’s perspectives. Understanding the different roles and responsibilities has proven to strengthen relationships necessary for sustainable prosperity of interactions locally and globally.
Lesson learned
Lesson learning has been a priority from the outset and the project adopted a participatory action framework for its evaluation. A range of data collection methods was used, ranging from informal discussions and focus groups to photo-voice exercises. As the data and lessons learned were through a collaborative process, so the shift toward sustainable change outcomes was also collaborative, highlighting the importance of shared learning and importance of creating space for a deliberative dialogue between different participants. This reflexive approach ensures those lessons are continually learned collaboratively and that sustainable change and adaptation become synonymous.
Resources
Mapping of policy makers and institutional influences
The mapping of policy makers and institutional influences involves mapping of all the institutions, policy makers and other forms of governance that have influence or involvement in and/or on local realities. In doing so, insight is gained in what external and governance structures enhance and or constrain livelihood opportunities positively and negatively. In doing so the key institutions that need to be included are identified.
Enabling factors
Synthesizing information, creating space for knowledge learning and sharing of experiences to understand and change outcomes from local people’s perspectives. Understanding the different roles and responsibilities has proven to strengthen relationships necessary for sustainable prosperity of interactions locally and globally.
Lesson learned
Lesson learning has been a priority from the outset and the project adopted a participatory action framework for its evaluation. A range of data collection methods was used, ranging from informal discussions and focus groups to photo-voice exercises. As the data and lessons learned were through a collaborative process, so the shift toward sustainable change outcomes was also collaborative, highlighting the importance of shared learning and importance of creating space for a deliberative dialogue between different participants. This reflexive approach ensures those lessons are continually learned collaboratively and that sustainable change and adaptation become synonymous.
Resources
Space for cross-sectoral global learning
Cross-sectoral global learning provides a safe space for a critical reflection on the global pressures and influences on local realities and on the role of governance and institutions in determining the level of influence. Exchange and exploration of different perspectives develops understanding from a range of perspectives and in the development of shared values and priorities to focus on collaboratively. The development of the cross-sectoral collaborative relationship is key to successful engagement and pivotal to this model or solution.
Enabling factors
Synthesizing information, creating space for knowledge learning and sharing of experiences to understand and change outcomes from local people’s perspectives. Understanding the different roles and responsibilities has proven to strengthen relationships necessary for sustainable prosperity of interactions locally and globally.
Lesson learned
Lesson learning has been a priority from the outset and the project adopted a participatory action framework for its evaluation. A range of data collection methods was used, ranging from informal discussions and focus groups to photo-voice exercises. As the data and lessons learned were through a collaborative process, so the shift toward sustainable change outcomes was also collaborative, highlighting the importance of shared learning and importance of creating space for a deliberative dialogue between different participants. This reflexive approach ensures those lessons are continually learned collaboratively and that sustainable change and adaptation become synonymous.
Resources
Sustainable change outcomes
Bring project participants together to discuss their sustainable change outcomes was a very powerful exercise and involved use of photovoice to share desired changes and values for sustainable change. The students desire to increase the diversity of the local bird population was one of these; another was to be able to reduce the amount of firewood women used. Agreeing desired change outcomes collectively informed the functionality of their engagement and actions required to achieve them. This influenced participant’s ability to make choices to determine the change they desire.
Enabling factors
Synthesizing information, creating space for knowledge learning and sharing of experiences to understand and change outcomes from local people’s perspectives. Understanding the different roles and responsibilities has proven to strengthen relationships necessary for sustainable prosperity of interactions locally and globally.
Lesson learned
Lesson learning has been a priority from the outset and the project adopted a participatory action framework for its evaluation. A range of data collection methods was used, ranging from informal discussions and focus groups to photo-voice exercises. As the data and lessons learned were through a collaborative process, so the shift toward sustainable change outcomes was also collaborative, highlighting the importance of shared learning and importance of creating space for a deliberative dialogue between different participants. This reflexive approach ensures those lessons are continually learned collaboratively and that sustainable change and adaptation become synonymous.
Resources
Technical support
The opportunity for external intervention is negotiated with the participants to ensure that it is culturally and ecologically acceptable. Examples included rocket stove training, and jam production. Sustainable change outcomes cannot be achieved without viable alternatives to unsustainable practices. External interventions involved introduction of affordable culturally appropriate innovations that contributed towards income generation.
Enabling factors
Synthesizing information, creating space for knowledge learning and sharing of experiences to understand and change outcomes from local people’s perspectives. Understanding the different roles and responsibilities has proven to strengthen relationships necessary for sustainable prosperity of interactions locally and globally.
Lesson learned
Lesson learning has been a priority from the outset and the project adopted a participatory action framework for its evaluation. A range of data collection methods was used, ranging from informal discussions and focus groups to photo-voice exercises. As the data and lessons learned were through a collaborative process, so the shift toward sustainable change outcomes was also collaborative, highlighting the importance of shared learning and importance of creating space for a deliberative dialogue between different participants. This reflexive approach ensures those lessons are continually learned collaboratively and that sustainable change and adaptation become synonymous.
Resources
Critical reflection and review
Reflection and review gives room to an evaluation of the learning and change that has occurred and the contributing factors. It is an essential part of the process to ensure that learning continues. Engaging in a critical reflection and review of the changes that have happened enables dissonance borders to be stretched and for participants to acknowledge mistakes and successes and to be able to determine the reasons why. Through engaging in a reflexive practice, new influences and pressures were also considered as benefits and or constraints. These then informed subsequent actions.
Enabling factors
Synthesizing information, creating space for knowledge learning and sharing of experiences to understand and change outcomes from local people’s perspectives. Understanding the different roles and responsibilities has proven to strengthen relationships necessary for sustainable prosperity of interactions locally and globally.
Lesson learned
Lesson learning has been a priority from the outset and the project adopted a participatory action framework for its evaluation. A range of data collection methods was used, ranging from informal discussions and focus groups to photo-voice exercises. As the data and lessons learned were through a collaborative process, so the shift toward sustainable change outcomes was also collaborative, highlighting the importance of shared learning and importance of creating space for a deliberative dialogue between different participants. This reflexive approach ensures those lessons are continually learned collaboratively and that sustainable change and adaptation become synonymous.
Resources
Impacts
- Increased understanding and awareness of what people have and the changes they want for sustainable livelihoods.
- Development of adaptive capabilities to address and cope with climate change shocks.
- Rural women, men and youth utilise new skills in climate smart technologies.
Beneficiaries
Rural men, women and youth; secondary school teachers in Unguja and Pemba and vocational training centre trainers in Unguja.
Story
Sazani began working with a group of 30 women from 15 women’s groups across the north of Zanzibar Island. Simultaneously we were working with schools in 30 communities and the local TVET centre. Through our programme "Climate change Adaptation, Sustainably Aware (CASA)", we engaged in an integrated approach from the outset. Working with the schools, we worked with local teachers and educators to develop and deliver a contextualized curriculum that embedded healthy and sustainable life skills into the curriculum. This involved teachers being trained, students being taught and action groups being established. One of the action groups focused on avian biodiversity, linked to maths and biology. Students learned about biodiversity of birds in their locality, carried out bird counting activities and created a map which is illustrated and discussed with their families how the birds changed throughout the year and over the years. The children identified deforestation and loss of natural habitat as one of the major contributing factors. Through their action groups they set up tree planting schemes and nurseries.
In parallel to this, we worked with the metal work department of the local TVET centre and with a design engineer we developed a course in rocket stove production. Young people and local metal workers were trained in production of these fuel efficient stoves.
In parallel we met with representatives of 15 women’s groups to introduce the rocket stoves and also fruit processing. 30 representatives set up a producers network, and with technical support from Sazani, started to produce jams using the rocket stoves. With our help the jam was sold to local hotels. Based on their experience, the women reckoned that the stoves reduced their firewood consumption by around 40%. All of the women ordered smaller rocket stoves from the college for domestic use.
Some of the women had children at the schools involved in the project and at the TVET centre.
Through the project the deforestation of coast forests was reduced through a combination of understanding and awareness for sustainability, access to climate smart technologies that were culturally appropriate and development of sustainable livelihood skills in food processing.
