8 ways the new green town sparks the economy
Women power
STEM internships lend special support to young Tanzanian women in science related professions. Last year, four female science students landed jobs with developer CPS and other firms after their internship in Fumba Town. STEM at Fumba - standing for science, technology, engineering and maths - was initiated by CPS director Karin Dietzold and has just entered its second round with four more women graduates working here.
New skills
From a real estate career to professional carpentry, from green gardening to waste recycling, Fumba Town has opened up new professions and career paths for almost 1,000 people, the majority now making a living off their new skills.
New Jobs
About 500 employees work directly with the developer of Fumba Town, CPS, and sister companies like VolksHouse, Permaculture Design Company (PDC), Fortitude Tocial Security (FTS). Another 800 employees work in construction and resident related services – a total of 1,300 new jobs. 60% were trained on the job.
Ancient knowledge
The entire landscaping of Fumba Town has been modelled after indigenous village concepts of trees and plants to create climate protection and a safe food supply. “Here we learnt a lot from locals”, says permaculture expert Franko Goehse.
Green Training
The Practical Permaculture Institute Zanzibar (PPIZ) and the Permaculture Design Company (PDC) have trained more than 700 people, local environment groups as well as the very first African landscaping architects in the last eight years; 140 out-of-school youth joined Fursa Kijani and other permaculture courses - several workshops are still ongoing.
Better living
The 18-kilometre road from Zanzibar City to Fumba is now lined with hundreds of food, clothes and hardware shops, gas stations and villas. Land value has gone up, increasing the income of villagers. Village feeder roads have been built. A four-lane highway to Zanzibar City and an airport access road are approved. New wells, electricity and water supply on the peninsula with an estimated 30,000 inhabitants have been installed. Fumba Town is projected to house 20,000 people by 2035.
New clients
Local firms such as Msonge organic farm and its unique pakacha delivery service, communication company Zanlink, furniture and appliances companies, local fundis, taxi and bajaji owners together with hundreds of small-scale entrepreneurs have found new clients in Fumba. The island’s biggest community market, the Kwetu Kwenu market, takes place every first Saturday of the month in Fumba.
Culture push
CPS has become the main sponsor of one of Africa’s biggest music festivals Sauti za Busara uniting 20,000 fans on the isles every year. Busara+ in Fumba, open-air cinema shows, talk shows and local DJs regularly pull diverse crowds to Fumba.