Some stories are told in reports. Others, you feel in your bones—when the sun hits a field just right, and a woman, knee-deep in her land, looks up and smiles. That was Ikungi.
During our Rural Women’s Economic Empowerment (JP RWEE) exchange visit, FAWE Zanzibar found itself not just observing—but witnessing something profound. In the rural stretches of Ikungi District Council, amidst golden rows of sunflowers, we didn’t just see agriculture.

We saw resilience with roots.
The women we met weren’t just farmers. They were strategists. Visionaries. Everyday heroes. With the support of the Joint Programme for Rural Women’s Economic Empowerment (JP RWEE), they’ve transformed patches of soil into symbols of self-determination. Their work speaks not only of yields, but of agency — a quiet revolution planted and nurtured by their own hands.
Each sunflower swaying in the breeze is more than a crop — it’s school fees paid, dignity restored, and futures reclaimed.

It was humbling. It was moving. And it was real.
In these women, we saw not dependency, but design. A deliberate crafting of better tomorrows, built on collective effort, shared knowledge, and a belief that rural does not mean invisible. These are not stories of aid — they are stories of empowerment in motion.

As FAWE Zanzibar continues to advocate for gender equity and economic justice, this visit reminded us of one truth: when women grow, communities flourish.