Projects
The FoVT’s aim in practice is to devise a working plan for a way of life on the island that is completely in harmony with nature. From this premise we construct our projects.
Slowly and in constant cooperation and conversation with villagers, we are progressing towards this giant goal. We select projects for their suitability but also according to and depending on the level of actual interest from residents. As the trust as such is an outside entity, we are assertive but patient.
Ideally, in ten years from now we will have managed to address energy generation and waste, water desalination and sanitation, education for children and adults, agriculture, as well as health care and support for local governance.
Below are some examples of our projects. We put education, health and culture at the heart of the program.
EDUCATION: EXAMPLES OF A MULTI-FACETED TOPIC
Our 2 classroom Primary School opened in 2011, teaching up to 200 children until Grade 6. Until we can extend to secondary level we will carry on awarding annual scholarships for exceptional girls to the nearest secondary school on the mainland.
We offer free hot school lunches, prepared by volunteer mothers from the villages. Without this incentive the children are under pressure to forage in the shallows and rock pools for their food and school attendance drops.
We introduced a solar powered projector to broaden the availability of topics and thus extend the age range of education. It not only makes learning more varied for children but offers adults a wide variety of subjects through online video tutorials. Topics of interest include agriculture workshops, family planning, health risks and marine wildlife documentaries.
The Trust has helped to establish Theatre Groups, which are not only a popular pastime but also assist with the introduction of difficult health topics to the group as well as the audience.
We helped setting up an Agricultural Association in a village with fresh water on the Mozambican mainland opposite Vamizi. By offering training and a new source of income The Trust also contributed to re-establish a market. We also supplied the roof to the actual market building. The Association now supplies the Private Villas and surrounding communities with seasonal fruit and vegetables.
HEALTH: IMMEDIATE NEEDS
The Trust has made inroads into waste management and improved medical facilities for the island’s community.
Waste management is a primary concern on any island, particularly one as remote as Vamizi where it is not possible to remove waste for recycling. In a two-step approach we have facilitated a way of utilising waste management as a source of income. The villages and beaches are cleaned by groups of women and their waste collections incinerated. This process creates awareness of the dangers of various materials like plastics, batteries and other contaminants and keeps the inhabitants and their waters safer. We emphasise the benefits of separating waste from living areas in regular workshops.
The local clinic received an upgrade with its own water collection system and latrines. We keep a supply of medicines for children, available free of charge, and common medicines for adults are dispensed by the village nurse.
CULTURE: IDENTITY BUILDING
A strong identity naturally creates a sense of responsibility for one’s immediate environment. Maintaining a close relationship with the island community and improving the governance capacity of the local leaders is important for the future of Vamizi and its environmental protection. Village community is the essential platform to enable both.
Whether it is football tournaments or the re-introduction of a forgotten craft of basketry, sewing and pompom making, many of our projects started out small and have proven a great success. Please see the extra link in the menu left for our Vamizi Pompom Project and the Online Shop.
Noteworthy is the creation of a mosque, a future focal point for all three villages. At present there is no designated place to gather, worship and connect with village life. We hope that the new mosque will on occasion be made available for non-religious purposes and eventually extended into a full community centre. As a cornerstone of history, the 300 year old church, old fort and well ruins from colonial times are waiting to be restored. We hope to be in a position to proceed with it soon.
We are passionate about our Music project. Philippa Glazer and Alex Forster spent just a few days on the island to record countless sounds of nature, from crashing waves to monkeys and rain, voices of children as well as villagers and staff. Back in their studio, they composed an incredible song using almost nothing else than these recordings. It is called ‘Karibu Vamizi’ , meaning Welcome to Vamizi and you can get a soundbite of it on our landing page.
For many of our community events we play this song – it is recognized as their song and the crowds are cheering and singing along.
Philippa Glazer is a multidisciplinary artist, creative producer and international event coordinator from South Africa passionate about health, harmony and creative collaboration - bringing people from all walks of life closer together through the traditional mediums of music, dance and yoga.
Alex Forster is a musician, producer and filmmaker from the UK who has travelled extensively to collaborate with a wide range of artists and fuse traditional accoustic and progressive electronic styles.