At Blooming Zanzibar, sustainability, inclusion, accessibility, and empowerment for our unique talents with special needs are at the heart of everything we do. But we don’t stop there. We’re proud to be part of the global movement towards more sustainable practices, and we strive to make a positive impact in every aspect of our operations. Guided by the three Ps of sustainability—people, planet, and profit—we focus on creating an environment that nurtures both our team and the world around us.

Read below to learn how we promote sustainable tourism within our own bubble and contribute to a more eco-conscious and inclusive future.

Community
Blooming Zanzibar is a true showcase of community contributions on the island. Alongside our guesthouse, More Africa NGO is located right on our premises, providing special education, physical therapy, daycare, and medical care to 40 children with special needs five days a week. Our commitment to the community extends beyond the classroom: we also offer free swimming lessons to local children and adults in our pool, helping to promote physical well-being and inclusivity for all. Stay with us, and be part of a meaningful impact that goes beyond your stay.

Community Based Tourism
A major goal for Blooming Zanzibar is to foster "community-based tourism," where meaningful encounters between locals and visitors from around the world are encouraged. By bringing people together, we aim to create authentic cultural exchanges that benefit both our guests and the local community, enriching the travel experience and promoting understanding and mutual respect.
You can read more HERE.

(Woman) empowerment
Empowerment is one of the core pillars at Blooming Zanzibar. We believe it is crucial to give children with special needs a voice, enabling them to grow and develop to their fullest potential. We also strongly support the incredible women in our local community, and we take action to uplift and empower them in various ways.

  • We offer "off the beaten track" excursions, allowing our guests to visit and engage with women’s initiatives on Zanzibar, giving them an opportunity to support and learn from the inspiring women in the area.
  • At our school, we have a dedicated all-female staff, many of whom may not have formal education but possess a deep passion and heart for the work they do. We provide training and development, allowing them to grow alongside us, fostering a supportive and empowering environment.

Through these efforts, we aim to create lasting change, offering both individuals with special needs and local women the opportunities to develop, empower themselves, and make a meaningful impact on their community.

Waste management
Waste management is a significant challenge on Zanzibar, with many areas still resorting to burning or dumping waste in the bushes. At Blooming Zanzibar, we are committed to doing our part to tackle this issue. We partner with a waste management company that collects our waste weekly, ensuring proper disposal. Our staff diligently separates waste into paper, plastic, and food, promoting recycling and reducing environmental impact.

In addition, we repurpose all our biodegradable waste, such as food scraps, as feed for our chickens and ducks or convert it into compost for gardening. We’ve also eliminated the use of plastic water bottles by opting for large recyclable bottles and glass containers, further reducing our plastic footprint. Through these sustainable practices, we aim to make a positive impact on the environment and lead by example in responsible waste management.

Get involved
As a guest at Blooming Zanzibar, your stay directly contributes to our mission. By simply staying with us, you are donating to More Africa, our school for children with disabilities, helping to provide education, care, and support to these incredible children. But there are even more ways you can get involved and make a difference:

  • Come as a volunteer: Join us and dedicate your time and skills to support our community initiatives and school programs.
  • Take something from our wishlist: Help us fulfill specific needs by bringing items from our wishlist, contributing directly to the care and development of our children.
  • Come for a working holiday: Combine work and travel by bringing your expertise to our team while enjoying the beauty of Zanzibar.

Your involvement, big or small, makes a lasting impact, and we are grateful for your support in building a brighter future for everyone at Blooming Zanzibar.

Solar
We are super duper happy with our solar installation! Having solar power on Zanzibar is crucial for both sustainability and reliability. Solar energy perfectly aligns with our commitment to eco-friendly practices and reduces our reliance on the unstable power grid. Solar power provides a sustainable, environmentally friendly solution that not only helps reduce our carbon footprint but also eliminates the constant hassle of power outages and fluctuating voltage. While the initial costs may be higher, the long-term benefits will outweigh them, as solar energy will ultimately pay for itself and provide a more reliable and efficient source of power for Blooming Zanzibar.

Ocean
Zanzibar, an island in the Indian Ocean, is blessed with a rich natural resource in its ocean—home to vibrant marine life, fishing, and seaweed plantations. However, the ocean is also a delicate ecosystem that requires our protection. Unfortunately, activities like illegal jet skiing, tourists unknowingly touching or removing starfish, snorkelers stepping on coral, and littering during trips are all threats to this fragile environment.

At Blooming Zanzibar, we are committed to raising awareness among our visitors about the do’s and don’ts when interacting with the ocean. We encourage guests not to touch starfish, avoid jet skiing, and always clean up their trash after enjoying the sea. We also urge everyone to speak to others about the importance of protecting this beautiful treasure. The world belongs to all of us, and it is our shared responsibility to care for and preserve the ocean for future generations.

Water
We believe the plastic problem is one of the biggest environmental challenges facing Zanzibar. Unfortunately, many stores and hotels still sell plastic bottles, which often end up in villages or, worse, in the sea, contributing to the growing “plastic soup” that threatens marine life. To combat this, Blooming Zanzibar offers our guests a glass bottle of water in their rooms, which can be refilled as needed in our restaurant from reusable, recyclable 20-liter bottles. These bottles can be returned and recycled, ensuring we reduce plastic waste while providing a sustainable water supply. By doing so, we’re helping tackle the waste problem and promoting a more sustainable future for Zanzibar’s environment. Oh, and we also sell very cool reusable bottles in our Boutique!

Handmade products
At Blooming Zanzibar, we create beautiful handmade products with our children and young adults, using local, natural materials whenever possible and minimizing plastic use. While the products may not be flawless, each one is filled with love, time, perseverance, energy, and joy. These creations are a reflection of the dedication and passion behind them, making them truly… “Perfectly Imperfect.”

Local materials & natural building techniques
At Blooming Zanzibar, we are committed to using local and environmentally friendly materials in all aspects of our operations. Did you know that coconut is incredibly versatile? We drink the coconut, while local women process the husk into rope, which we use for decoration and our beachbeds. The coconut wood is also repurposed into tables, chairs, and other furniture. Even our restaurant and pool floors are made from Tanga stone, a unique stone sourced from Tanga on the mainland.

By supporting local artisans and using traditional building techniques, we not only reduce our carbon footprint but also contribute to job creation and skills development within the community. This sustainable approach helps us create a positive impact while preserving Zanzibar’s natural resources.

Local Partnerships
As a hotel on Zanzibar, being sustainable is not always easy, especially with plastic, trash, and waste being prevalent in the environment. That’s why Blooming Zanzibar collaborates with several local initiatives that stand for sustainability. In our guesthouse, you’ll find products from these incredible social enterprises and NGOs, including Chako and Live Life Always. By supporting these organizations, we are working together for a cleaner, more sustainable Zanzibar, making a positive impact on the environment and the community.

Vegetable garden
In our lush green garden at Blooming Zanzibar, a special spot is dedicated to our vegetable garden, where herbs, spices, vegetables, and fruits thrive and bloom. Our chefs pick the fresh produce daily, using it to prepare delicious meals for you. Not only do our guests benefit from the garden's bounty, but our local staff also enjoys the fresh, homegrown food, creating a sustainable and nourishing cycle within our community.