In brief
Chako Zanzibar helps women transform discarded glass bottles into products, preventing millions of bottles from landfill and training over 400 locals. A 52‑year‑old mother, Mwanamkuu Mussa, now earns enough to support her family’s education and future home. The Dutch‑led enterprise continues to address environmental and economic gaps on the island.
In Zanzibar, the Chako Zanzibar social enterprise is turning discarded glass bottles into a source of income, education, and future homes for local women, Xinhua reported on 30 October 2026.
Since joining Chako in 2021, 52‑year‑old Mwanamkuu Mussa, a former nursery teacher and mother of four, has repurposed waste into useful items and used her earnings to open a DVD library, cover her children’s medical expenses, and fund their schooling. Xinhua noted that Mussa now trains new artisans and organizes the workshop, and that her next goal is to build a house for her family.
The enterprise, founded by Dutch entrepreneur Anneloes Roelandschap in 2012, collects glass bottles and plastic from hotels and resorts, cleans and processes them, and sells finished products—such as drinking glasses, vases, lamps, and decorative souvenirs—to tourists. Xinhua said that since its establishment the company has prevented more than five million bottles from ending up in landfills and has trained over 400 local people.
Roelandschap explained that the idea stemmed from observing tourism’s dual impact: jobs and waste. By repurposing waste, Chako provides practical skills, a reliable income, and the ability for women to make decisions about their families’ futures.
Mussa said, “Working at Chako has helped me become an independent woman.”