Voices from the Field: From household effort to emerging enterprise

When Amina Hamad Ali first began processing seaweed in Pemba, she did not see her work as a real business. As she recalled, “At that time, I had no real future and was not a real business. Even my son left to look for other work. I was just trying without a real plan.” Her operation was entirely home-based. Products were kept in plastic bags on shelves and shown only when customers asked. There was no designated production space, no clear workflow, and limited understanding of hygiene or quality requirements. What existed, however, was determination and the beginnings of an idea. 

A turning point came when she was identified for support under the Zanzibar Joint Programme (ZJP) work on value addition and enterprise improvement in the seaweed sector. The programme is supported by the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Dar es Salaam. Through the Kaizen implementation approach, she began applying simple, practical methods to improve how her enterprise operated. These were not capital-intensive changes. Instead, they focused on what could be done immediately with available materials and a different way of thinking about work organization, cleanliness and product presentation. As Amina put it, “I learned that improvement does not always need money, but a change in thinking.” 

That change in mindset quickly translated into visible improvements. Using locally available materials, she reorganized her backyard to create a basic production area. For the first time, processing, storage and product display were separated and clearly arranged. Clearer work areas helped her establish a dedicated food-processing line, improve hygiene, reduce handling risks and align more closely with basic food-safety expectations. Though modest in themselves, these changes marked an important shift from informal household activity towards a more structured micro-enterprise. 

The improvements also opened the way for greater value addition. Seaweed flour, snacks and bakery items, which had previously been informal experiments, became part of a more deliberate product line. Packaging also improved, giving the products a more polished and market-ready appearance. These changes helped strengthen customer trust and improved the competitiveness of the business within Pemba’s growing value-added seaweed segment. In practical terms, the support was helping Amina move further away from dependence on raw-product sales and closer to the type of small enterprise that can participate more effectively in higher-value markets. 

Just as important as the technical and operational changes was the shift in confidence and leadership. Through coaching and follow-up support, Amina began to see her work differently — not simply as a way to get by, but as a business with a future. This change encouraged her to expand her team and recruit two young women to support production and marketing. Reflecting on this step, she said, “I realized I cannot grow alone. Now we work as a team, and they are ready to fight for this business.” Her experience also began to influence how others in the community, especially young people, viewed seaweed processing and value addition. 

By the end of 2025, the change was clear. Pemba Mwani had become a more structured and promising enterprise, with stronger hygiene practices, a diversified product line, improved internal organization and a clearer business identity. The upgraded packaging and improved labeling contributed to stronger sales performance, and Amina was able to secure a dedicated delivery arrangement with a business-to-business client in Dar es Salaam — her first expansion beyond Pemba. These are still early steps, but they illustrate the kind of transition the programme is seeking to support across the seaweed value chain: from low-value, informal activity to stronger enterprise models that can improve incomes, create opportunities for others and expand women’s participation in local economic development. 

Her own reflection captures that journey well: “Kaizen helped me believe that even small steps matter.” Amina’s story shows how practical support to workflow, hygiene, product development and market readiness can help unlock not only business growth, but also confidence, leadership and wider opportunity for women in Zanzibar’s seaweed sector.