The project aims to enable coastal communities to benefit economically and socially from tourism through a market venture that is developed collaboratively with the visitors through their organisations (tour operators) locally and externally. It will encompass a professional business idea that will see the emergence of a weekly market channel for communities. Training for producers, product quality and variety, market access, professional packaging, marketing support, promotion and a limited storage facility will be offered to the communities. Tourists will interact with communities/producers when this market develops fully as an excursion in its own right or as part of a Mombasa day tour excursion operated by tour operators in the Mombasa area. Where it will be possible to have excursions to the community, this will also be explored with tour operators. Ujamaa, which has already provided space and opportunities for producers’ network, will work closely with existing producer/marketing organizations in Mombasa on product development/design and ensure that communities develop high quality products that will be fit for the target market. Such products will include crafts, gifts, soaps, natural cures, cosmetics etc.
Ujamaa has already established and provides marketing services to the micro and small enterprise sector at the coast of Kenya and its immediate priority lies in expanded trading where improved and innovative products are the driving force behind the endeavor, which entirely seeks out new markets. Through a capacity building programme within this project Ujamaa will ensure that communities are trained so that their products fulfill the standards of target markets, basing this on information, which will be gathered through extensive market research. All the products developed will be from sustainable sources and shall be environmentally friendly, notable is the fact that diversity of the products will range from hand made paper to crafts using natural resources that are renewable, and still be able to create a mixture of products that will include traditional furniture and other souvenirs made out of recyclables. This initiative will then be launched officially at the market access center and shall be graced by visitors from the UK, local hotels, tour operators and members of the private sector
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