Mariam Mwinyi’s mission to empower communities

DAR ES SALAAM: Some women lead through titles, while others lead through impact. For Zanzibar’s First Lady, Mariam Mwinyi, leadership has become a journey of empowering women, supporting vulnerable communities and championing opportunities that continue to transform lives across the Isles.

As Founder and Chairperson of the Board of Trustees of the Zanzibar Maisha Bora Foundation (ZMBF), Mariam has emerged as one of Zanzibar’s leading advocates for women’s empowerment, community wellbeing and sustainable development. Her work combines compassion, education and practical solutions aimed at improving the lives of women, children and vulnerable communities.

Born as the seventh child of retired Major John Herman and Ms Theresia Herman, Mariam grew up understanding the value of discipline, education and service.

She acknowledges the role government support played in shaping her academic journey, something that later influenced her commitment to expanding opportunities for others.

Mariam began her education at Kifungilo Primary School before joining Korogwe Girls Secondary School and later Kilakala Secondary School for Advanced Level studies. Driven by a passion for healthcare and community service, she pursued Medical Assistance training at the Ifakara Health Institute.

Her academic journey later took her to the United Kingdom, where she earned a Master’s degree in Education for Primary Health Care from the University of Manchester, followed by another Master’s degree from the University of Birmingham.

Her personal journey later took a significant turn when she met Hussein Mwinyi during a family gathering, years before he assumed Zanzibar’s presidency. The two later married, and Mariam gradually grew into a public figure deeply committed to community development and social wellbeing.

However, beyond her public position, she consistently maintained a personal commitment to contributing directly to society through community-focused initiatives.

Following President Mwinyi’s assumption of office in 2020, Mariam began exploring ways she could support Zanzibar’s development priorities. In 2021, she established ZMBF with a mission to empower women and youth to participate actively in social and economic transformation.

Aligned with Zanzibar’s Blue Economy policy, the foundation focuses on sectors closely connected to women’s livelihoods. One of its major priorities is seaweed farming, an industry dominated by women and considered a backbone of many coastal households.

Although thousands of women depend on seaweed farming, the sector has for years faced low returns and limited market opportunities, discouraging many young people from joining the business. Through ZMBF, Mariam has championed value addition initiatives aimed at improving product quality, processing and access to international markets.

By encouraging proper drying, handling and packaging methods, women farmers are now able to secure better prices for their products and improve household incomes. According to Mariam, empowering women economically creates a ripple effect that strengthens entire communities.

“Women have the ability to transform society when they are given opportunities and support,” she said during one of the foundation’s empowerment programmes.

Beyond economic empowerment, the foundation has expanded its work into health, education and gender equality. ZMBF has been actively involved in maternal and child health programmes, campaigns against gender-based violence and initiatives focused on protecting the wellbeing of girls.

One of the foundation’s most impactful programmes is the Tumaini Initiative, which supports schoolgirls facing challenges related to menstrual hygiene. Recognising that many girls miss classes due to lack of sanitary products, the initiative distributes reusable sanitary kits to students in primary and secondary schools.

The kits include reusable sanitary pads, undergarments and specially designed drying lines that help girls maintain privacy. Produced locally through a smallscale facility operated by ZMBF, the reusable pads can last up to five years with proper care.

For many schoolgirls, the initiative has restored confidence and reduced absenteeism, helping them continue their education without interruption.

Mariam’s vision also extends to early childhood development and nutrition. In collaboration with government authorities, the foundation is planning programmes aimed at strengthening school feeding initiatives to improve children’s health, concentration and school attendance.

At the same time, ZMBF continues to advocate for proper nutrition during pregnancy and early childhood as part of broader efforts to combat child stunting in communities. Through nutrition education campaigns, mothers and caregivers are encouraged to adopt balanced diets that support healthy child development.

Healthcare outreach remains another important pillar of the foundation’s work. Through medical camps organised in different communities, ZMBF provides reproductive health education, nutrition counselling and support services for survivors of gender-based violence.

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The foundation has also trained community health workers who help monitor and support pregnant women throughout pregnancy and childbirth. In partnership with the World Food Programme, the foundation has further expanded nutrition awareness campaigns in villages across Zanzibar.

Beyond local initiatives, Mariam continues to promote Zanzibar internationally. Recently, the foundation participated in the Sharjah Festival of African Literature in the United Arab Emirates, where she officiated the opening ceremony.

The event showcased Zanzibar’s cultural identity through seaweed products, traditional cuisine, literature and art while creating opportunities for cultural exchange and international partnerships.

Despite her wide-ranging responsibilities and achievements, Mariam continues to emphasise the importance of small-scale economic activities undertaken by women, saying they remain central to sustainable national development.

Her message to women across Tanzania Mainland and Zanzibar is simple but powerful: believe in your abilities, embrace opportunities and never hesitate to take leadership roles.

Through health, education and economic empowerment initiatives, Mariam Mwinyi continues to champion a vision in which women are recognised not only as caregivers, but also as architects of Zanzibar’s future.

The post Mariam Mwinyi’s mission to empower communities first appeared on Daily News.

The post Mariam Mwinyi’s mission to empower communities appeared first on Daily News.