59 Days in Zanzibar: A Journey of Solidarity, Learning and Cultural Exchange

October 27, 2026

Six international volunteers have successfully completed their 59-day volunteering activity in Zanzibar, Tanzania, within the framework of STARRY, an ESC Humanitarian Aid Volunteering project funded by the European Union.

Our volunteers — Veronica Giannelli from Italy, Cloé Couraud and Inès Sakho from France, Rachele Antonia De Felice from Austria, Ismail Ahmad from Denmark and Amanda Lam from Sweden — carried out their activities with our host partner, Assalam Community Foundation, supported by the sending organisations EPEKA and Asociacion Building Bridges.

During their stay, the volunteers contributed to a wide range of educational, environmental and humanitarian activities. They supported local teachers in classrooms, assisted children with their learning, participated in community events and humanitarian distributions, and took part in permaculture activities, including composting and tree planting.

They also contributed to improving local learning spaces through cleaning and painting activities, while workshops in traditional crafts, cooking, music and Swahili language provided opportunities to discover Zanzibar’s rich cultural heritage.

Beyond their contributions to the local community, the experience became an important journey of personal and professional growth. In their reflections, volunteers highlighted the importance of adaptability, intercultural communication, teamwork and mutual learning. Living and working alongside local people encouraged them to reconsider their perspectives and appreciate different approaches to community life.

We sincerely thank all six volunteers for their time, energy and commitment, Assalam Community Foundation for hosting and guiding them, and our sending partners EPEKA and Asociacion Building Bridges for their cooperation.