Zanzibar – Island paradise in flux

In this predominantly Muslim country, it’s common for men to take second and third wives, leaving their first wives with children and no money. Some of these women have created a new livelihood for themselves by farming sponges. These sponges are popular tourist souvenirs, fetching prices of up to 30 euros. Singer Siti Amina is also concerned with the situation of women in her country. She herself was a victim of domestic violence. She and her band play traditional Zanzibari music mixed with elements of jazz and rock. She sees it as her mission to draw attention to serious women's issues through joyful music. Farmer Mwatima Chuma wants to change Zanzibar. She runs the first farm to grow vegetables without chemicals. She used to work for the Ministry of Agriculture and, in this capacity, was partly responsible for the establishment of monocultures and heavy use of pesticides in Zanzibar. It is something she regrets, to this day.