In recognition and acknowledgement of the fulfilment of a grand vision turned reality, Barefoot College International leadership arrived in Zanzibar to celebrate its 10 year anniversary of operations in the regional center of Zanzibar.
This significant milestone highlights a decade of empowering rural communities through education, skill development and sustainable solutions but more importantly, it served as an important strategic time working with local organizations and government officials to chart a path for expansion and growth in the coming decade.
In addition to several strategic meetings, Barefoot College International Director of Strategic Partnerships Sue Stevenson and BCI-UK Board Chair Tracey Balch toured the center and visited villages where BCI graduates are making an impact.
Partnerships foster decade of impact with eyes to future
Since its inception in Zanzibar in 2015, BCI has focused on training women to become solar engineers. The women then return to their villages to electrify homes, providing clean and sustainable energy to their communities. The impact extends beyond lighting. It fosters economic independence, improved health outcomes and educational opportunities. Zanzibar has served as the model for growth in other regions including Senegal, Madagascar and Guatemala.
“As our centre marks its 10th anniversary, it feels like a dream come true to witness the incredible journey of women who have grown into empowered leaders, entrepreneurs and changemakers,” said BCI Regional Center Country Director Brenda Geofrey. “I am truly proud to work alongside rural women, whose resilience and determination continue to inspire brighter futures for their families and communities.”
The Registrar of NGOs in Zanzibar, Hon. Ahmed Kalid Abdulla was the guest of honor for the event, championing the work to date and the potential for innovation and scalable impact in the coming future. He praised the collaboration and thanked BCI leaders for visiting.
“I thank you for joining us and coming here several times to support our continued effort with Barefoot College International,” Abdulla said. “We look forward to continuing to move forward and working together for a long time. I look forward to our new ideas for the future and programs that help women here in Zanzibar.”
During the ceremony, BCI Zanzibar signed an MOU with Practical Permaculture Institute of Zanzibar to collaborate on sustainable development through diverse livelihoods in ZNZ. Managing Director ikram Ramadhan Soraga and BCI Regional Center Country Director Brenda Geofrey signed the agreement together with nearly 30 Barefoot graduates looking on and 28 centre staff.
With Barefoot College Zanzibar’s regenerative agriculture farm and on site training, the opportunity to foster healthy growing practices that create opportunity for local families is at the heart of the shared mission.
Master trainers honored for a decade of impact in Zanzibar
Barefoot College International also recognized its Master Trainers, who were among the first solar graduates from Zanzibar and now work at the Center to train incoming cohorts of new participants from Zanzibar and other regions of East Africa. Those in attendance honored were:
- Mwanakheri Bakari Khatib
- Patima Ali Adam
- Fatima Ali Vuai
- Kazija Gharib Issa
- Patima Othman Juma
- Subira Pandu Issa
- Mwanaidi Kheir Ali
- Miza Juma Othman
- Mwarimkufu Salum Abdalla
- Fatma Juma Haji
- Mwashamba Khamis Makame
- Mwanapili Iddi Makame
“We are honored to celebrate the original Solar Engineers of Zanzibar, today’s Master Trainers” said Stevenson, addressing the master trainers. “You brave women who left your homes and traveled overseas to a country you had never been to, with people who did not speak your language and strange food you had never eaten before… thank you. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts. You have enabled the training on ZNZ island of many new cohorts of women, from Zanzibar and other parts of Africa, all of whom have gone home to light the way forwards for their families and communities, as you did as Zanzibar’s original Solar pioneers. You are true leaders who continue to pass on your skills and knowledge to future generations.”
The anniversary celebration concluded with the first designation of BCI Global Ambassador, Fatma Juma Haji, more affectionately known as Mama Fatma, who first trained in India in 2011 and has since helped trained women in many parts of the world including South Sudan and Russia, while also speaking on behalf of BCI in Paris.
“I’m very pleased to honor Fatma as our first global ambassador for Barefoot College International,” said Balch. “This is a really important role and we can’t thank you enough for all the hard work and stepping out of your comfort zone to make such a lasting difference.”
Over the past decade, BCI’s work in Zanzibar has:
- Trained numerous Solar Engineers: Equipping women from various villages with the skills to install, maintain and repair solar lighting systems.
- Electrified hundreds of homes: Bringing light to previously unserved areas, transforming daily life for thousands of individuals.
- Promoted sustainable development: Reducing reliance on fossil fuels and promoting environmental stewardship.
- Fostered local entrepreneurship: Enabling solar trainees to become agents of change and contribute to their local economies.
- Strengthened community resilience: Empowering communities to address their own energy needs and build a brighter future.
The 10-year anniversary celebration in Zanzibar was a testament to the dedication of BCI, its partners, and the communities themselves. It served as an opportunity to reflect on past achievements and look forward to continued collaboration in expanding access to sustainable energy and empowering more lives across the island.