WEZA - Women Empowerment Zanzibar

WEZA (Women Empowerment Zanzibar) is a registered NGO on the island of Zanzibar, Tanzania, empowering girls of mixed abilities through FOOTBALL and PURPOSEFUL PLAY.

We create SAFE & INCLUSIVE SPACES where life skills are nurtured and essential knowledge on health and rights is shared – from menstrual health and mental wellbeing to protection from gender-based violence – so girls build the confidence to speak up, lead, and shape their own futures.

Inclusion is built into everything we do: sign language–trained coaches, adaptive drills and games, mixed-ability groupings, culturally appropriate sportswear, and reusable sanitary pads provided to all girls.

We are now building the eco-sustainable CHEZA Hub ("Play Hub" in Swahili) – a permanent home for girls' football and play-centered learning in Zanzibar. The site brings together a FIFA-standard grass pitch, solar power, rainwater harvesting, a permaculture field producing food for the children, an upcycled eco-playground, and a Goalball platform for blind and visually impaired players. In partnership with the Zanzibar Ministry of Education and Vocational Training, CHEZA School Hubs bring the programme into schools across the islands.

WEZA is accredited as a Global Purposeful Play Center by the international organisation Coaches Across Continents and is an official member of the UN's Football for the Goals initiative. Our work is powered by the foundation of US philanthropist Kym Rapier as lead partner, and our projects have been delivered in partnership with the French Embassy, the US Embassy, the Royal Danish Embassy, and the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung, among others.

Launching in January 2027, our VOLUNTEER PROGRAM is designed as a capacity-building exchange rooted in mutual learning. International volunteers are hosted at the CHEZA Hub in our dedicated volunteer house, fully immersed in WEZA's programmes and community – and we welcome football teams and groups for shared training experiences and friendly matches with local teams.

Whether through funding, expertise, materials or visibility – we welcome Austrian businesses and foundations as partners in creating lasting impact for girls in East Africa.