Making a difference

We consider the people of Michamvi Kae Village our partners at the hotel… these folks share their beautiful surrounds with us and our guests, and it is therefore a core value of the business that they truly benefit from the operations. We buy their produce and the mere presence of our visitors means an upliftment of their lives and living standards.

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All about Zanzibar

An exotic mixture of opposites…

Below you are able to read more about the innovative ways in which we join forces with the local community for the benefit of them and our guests and also about the fascinating attractions, just a stone’s throw away.

Various exciting & inspiring initiatives are in the pipeline for the 2011 / 2012 period. Here follows an overview of current success stories:

  • Community tourism We strive to involve the villagers in as many as possible of the activities we offer our guests. Locals currently serve as guides on the dhow (boat) excursions and soon they will also be escorting our guests on walking tours of the village, school and surrounds. These guides are remunerated and an additional amount is put towards future endeavours in the village.
  • Vegetable growing project To get the wheel rolling and as part of a larger future goal, Michamvi last season provided seeds, fertiliser and tools to the village to cultivate fresh produce on their own land. If all goes according to plan, the project should produce sufficiently to be able to also supply other hotels in the area.
  • Adult english language courses Last season our on-site, qualified teacher taught entry-level English to 38 enthusiastic local students. We look forward to the second round of classes this approaching season, this time of at a more advanced level.
  • Hotel school The better the skill level, the better the service we offer! We are starting a hotel school around November 2011, in partnership with an existing international one and the student corps will be able to share their knowledge with tourist destinations in greater Zanzibar. Graduates from the English language courses will be encouraged to join the hotel school.
  • School renovation project The local school is in dire need of extensions and renovations. Michamvi actively sources donor organisations in South Africa and elsewhere and manages the School Fund, in order to finance the necessary work.
  • Local art project We are currently sourcing local artists with work of a high enough standard to add to our hotel’s aesthetics. Guests will be able to purchase these works and all proceeds will be channelled to the artists.
  • Exchange programmeWe have made a committed to all our staff to facilitate a week-long exchange experience at a world-class hotel in South Africa. This way, they will be able to gain experience and also broaden their horizons by experiencing another country and culture.
A bit more about Zanibar
  • Stone Town is a must-see for anyone visiting Zanzibar…

    With its narrow, winding streets it’s reminiscent of a bygone era; both fast-paced and laid back. Noteworthy attractions include the House of Wonders, the first mosque built in the southern hemisphere, Mercury’s Bar and the birthplace of Queen’s Freddie Mercury.

    Stone Town has the unusual tag of being the place of the “shortest war in history” , the Anglo-Zanzibar war. On the morning of 27 August 1896 the British Royal Navy destroyed a palace in Stone Town and demanded that the ruler Khalid bin Bargash leave. He refused and his soldiers returned fire only for the Navy to begin bombarding the palace. A ceasefire was declared 45 minutes after the war had begun!

  • The people and language of Zanzibar…

    Zanzibar’s local people are from a mixture of ethnic backgrounds, indicative of its colourful history. The word “Zanzibar” is of Persian or Arabic origin.

    The mother tongue is Swahili and it is believed the language was established after the arrival of the Bantus in the 3rd and 4th centuries. These people traded with Arabs and needed a common language, hence this interesting marriage of Arabian and Bantu.

  • Tour the local forest and get to see natural surroundings…

    Located on the southeast side of the island, this forest is a designated protected region, home to the indigenous red colobus monkey, which can only be found here. Supposedly related to a species from the mainland, it is believed that when Zanzibar broke away from mainland Africa, these monkeys made Zanzibar their home. The forest is a tropical wonderland and tourists can enjoy tours to see the monkeys and other treasures that the forest holds.

    It is located a mere 30 minutes away from Michamvi and it presents the perfect day outing to see the natural beauty Zanzibar has to offer.