Umoja Ushongo Village
Pamoja Tunaweza (Together, We Can)
Umoja is Swahili for ‘Together’. Together, we are a conscious movement creating a prosperous, regenerative, off-grid eco-village step by step.
Umoja Ushongo is a collaborative force made up of community, social enterprise, and an emergent impact fund for socioeconomic prosperity, regenerative living & holistic wellness in a small fishing village on a remote & unique stretch of the Tanzanian coastline.
We are motivated by passionate creatorship, solution-minded initiatives, intentional connection between one another, and harmonious partnership with Mother Nature’s ecosystems to elevate livelihoods and become an exemplary, conscious, interdependent eco-village that embodies wellness, prosperity & resilience across sectors.
WELCOME TO UMOJA USHONGO
Umoja Ushongo is a holistic movement focusing on Ushongo Beach, its contributions to Tanzania, and its regional marketplace. Aligned with our vision for zero-waste, toxin-free, regenerative lifestyles, our mission for a self-sustaining eco-village is at the heart of our business endeavors and foundation. Therefore, we are dedicated to community development across sectors — starting with our own expertise: (1) holistic wellness, (2) regenerative farming, (3) ocean activities, (4) entrepreneurial development, and (5) community.
We believe in the power of social and environmental entrepreneurship to generate prosperity; therefore, a percentage of all our official business earnings from Umoja Ushongo Ltd. will be paid forward into our sister foundation, Umoja Ushongo Village via the Umoja Motherfund meant to propel our community, entrepreneurs, and families forward.
UMOJA USHONGO (ECO) VILLAGE & MOTHERFUND
Umoja Ushongo Village is the foundation that the Umoja Motherfund is designed to serve via conscious donors and Umoja Ushongo’s conscious customers worldwide. We pursue healthy zero-waste lifestyles, regenerative business models, community empowerment, and well-rounded eco-villages that are able to demonstrate the power of localization in a changing world. Proceeds from our sister LLC, Umoja Ushongo Ltd. will also be dedicating a portion of its proceeds to this fund as a regenerative impact fund.
UMOJA USHONGO’S GREEN SOCIO-ECONOMIC MODEL
In the building of our business models, we are dedicated to the holistic health of our communities, lands, and projects by weaving initiatives that prioritize marine conservation, off-grid power, community gardening, natural medicine, regenerative farming, clean well water systems, upcycling systems, regular composting, conscious trash services, vocational training, educational opportunities, alternative schooling, midwifery, reciprocal eco/voluntourism and beyond. Focused on a particular community’s potential, we inherently collaborate across sectors to co-create a holistic example of what more is possible. In doing so, we believe our family is not just local, but a global one. Coming together, global family will be able to enjoy the village, its beach, and champion reciprocity.
SHARED VALUES, BIOMIMICRY & RECIRPROCITY
United by common goals, driven by shared values, and empowered by reciprocity, we believe in the power of teamwork. Dedicated to a regenerative lifestyle for the good of all, nature is our greatest ally, priority, and teacher; therefore, biomimicry and circulatory frameworks are at the heart of our launching businesses and non-profit projects. As guardians of the movement, we are grateful to work with all kinds shareholders who are motivated by the highest good of all — each of us contributing to a complex, interdependent, and flourishing ecosystem in our own unique ways. This is the future on its way, the Love Revolution ♡.
We stand for localization.
We stand for regeneration.
We stand for holistic wellness.
We believe in reciprocity.
We believe in prosperity.
We believe in healing.
UMOJA MOTHERFUND: A CROSS-DISCIPLINARY IMPACT FUND
The emergent Umoja Motherfund will be set up the foundation’s impact fund to serve community initiatives through collaborative businesses and projects that support education, the environment, high-impact nutrition, beautiful infrastructures, entrepreneurial development, and more. Umoja Ushongo’s Motherfund holds vision that this particular fishing village can blossom fully into a prosperous eco-village by partnering first & foremost with nature in our modern world to lead as an example — showing more of what is possible for the country, region and globe. Tanzania is a marvel with many gems, and Ushongo is uniquely one of them.
Accordingly, Umoja Ushongo is broken down into various parts with interdependent projects that serve both their specific sector and the larger whole, embodying the Wheel of Co-Creation. Below, Umoja Ushongo shares some of our first priorities to catalyze business, catapult transformation, prioritize healing, synergize movements, and deepen our eco-village vision.
Every focus overlaps and supports another as integral parts of a larger whole — just like we are all connected to one another. People, projects & communities naturally fulfill divine roles; as Sufi poet Rumi shared, you are not a drop in , but the ocean in a drop…
Learn more about the Umoja Motherfund and niche product production from Ushongo Village.
Our separate movements work together as a whole.
UMOJA FARMING - UMOJA KULIMO
REGENERTAIVE ECO-FARMING, SOIL HEALTH & CARBON SEQUESTRATION
Regenerative agriculture is our number one priority. From (1) soil health, composting, and carbon sequestration to (2) interdependent, diverse & rich ecosystems of plants and animals, to (3) high-density nutrition, pasture-raised animal products, and plant medicine, we are passionate to expand conscious, organic, traditional gardening and farming methods with no-till practices and values to help our community — and planet — thrive and harvest an abundance of health and wellness.
ECO-COMMUNITY, COMPOSTING, WATER HEALTH & SEED BANKING
With our basic needs accessible, our community will not just survive, but thrive. As an eco-village in the making, we will build & grow optimal soil health, heirloom seed banks, and organic harvests with traditional composting techniques, alternative energy resources, and organic water systems. Knowing water is essential to our well-being while acknowledging the pollutants in company and government water around the world, we stand by the importance of natural well water, organic filtration practices, and regenerative watering methods supported by proper composting, mulching, and as much wood chip covering as possible.
COMMUNITY GARDEN, ORGANIC FARMING & EDUCATION
With visions for a local farmer’s market, acres of regenerative harvests from heirloom seeds (including vegetables, fruits, grains, legumes, beans, microgreens, herbs, and flowers), and the implementation of community gardens — that also serve as natural farmacies restoring and preserving generational wisdoms — we believe that alive ecosystems, relatively healthy soils, and common farming knowledge already held amongst the local communities in our remote bush lands position Ushongo with very strong foundations to build even healthier soil and much greater harvests than the community is currently producing.
Our reciprocal relationship and with the land and its creatures (without sprays, pesticides, insecticides, etc.) lays the groundwork for optimal health, wealth, and abundance by enhancing nutrition, returning to plant medicines, and generating economic opportunity. In order to work as a conscious community, it is important we continue to educate ourselves about the importance of non-intervention and regenerative farming practices so that we can empower Mother Nature to do what she does best: co-create the Garden of Eden.
FOOD VARIETY, OFF-GRID SUSTAINABLILITY & SOCIOECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Our mission is rooted in permaculture to regeneratively, organically, and biodynamically work with an increasingly wide variety of crops, plants, and livestock for healthy farmland, long-lasting soil health, highly nutritional foods, new market products, and greater economic development that can provide for our families, neighbors, communities and supplement the larger Tanzanian nation.
UMOJA WELLNESS - SOKO MSHINDI
ORGANIC SELF-CARE & ECO-SPA
Personal and collective wellness is our main objective. Through wellness spaces, practices, and products in our eco-marketplace, Umoja Wellness seeks to elevate men and women that are able to offer unique gifts in healing, wellness, and self-care with the use of organic products (ie. massages with natural oils, waxing with organic waxes, gatherings with traditional instruments, healings with plant medicines, facilitated fitness, meditation, and breathwork, etc.). It is our priority to uplift the generational wisdom of wellness leaders from our local community & beyond to support the wellbeing of all through sessions, classes, services and products.
ZERO-WASTE ECO-MARKETPLACE
The centerpiece of Umoja Wellness (Mshindi), overlapping many different aspects of the larger Umoja Ushongo movement, is its Wellness Market (Soko Mshindi). This is where needed local accessibility for wellness products next to the local production of wellness products meet to uplift the community — serving our local, national & global communities by working on the ground & online.
Umoja Wellness Market is a cornerstone to the whole by empowering diverse interests. As a lifestyle marketplace with permaculture, regeneration, prosperity, holistic wellness, and co-creation anchoring its core set of values, Umoja Wellness Market is the production house of the community, leveraging our natural resources to compliment a national initiative for organic and toxin-free products. As Ushongo, Pangani begins production, we will compliment national products already on the market, hand-selected for our community.
OFF-GRID FACTORY, WAREHOUSE & MAKERSPACE
In need of production, a makerspace would be created alongside a collaborative, regenerative, off-grid factory & warehouse that are yet to be put in place. While the factory & warehouse would focus on specialized product production and house an array of wellness products, the makerspace would be the home of craftsmen & women from Ushongo contributing to the vibrant & diverse eco-market.
As mentioned, the local makerspace would compliment resonate products from across the region and be designed with visitation in mind for both local & visiting communities to feel welcomed, intrigued & engaged to learn more about local product production. Its space would be nearby our local eco-market as well. The makerspace is a haven for all of our diverse makers to be equipped with the tools they need and to perform at the highest level possible while doing what they love and working in community.
COMMUNITY JUICERY, CAFÉ & REFILL STATIONS
Considering the marketplace is a natural center point for the community’s socioeconomic elevation, we plan to gather nearby with a local juicery and community café offering fresh juices, nutritional bites, and farm-to-table options for locals and visitors to enjoy.
As a healthy, organic, regenerative café, we would naturally connect with Umoja Farming (above) to offer a local farm-to-table selection. With a natural co-working space to be leveraged alongside farm-to-table nutrition by the beach, our local eco-market (also empowered online) would be well positioned to welcome all kinds of buyers from near and far. With locals, seasonal visitors, and conscious tourists in mind, the eco-market will offer sustainable & economical refill stations for various goods.
To synergize our offerings, ie. the local sailboat, eco-market, eco-spa, and eco-accommodations, all would be built alongside one another to offer wellness services, ocean activities, and an organic market (including farmer’s market) all together in one place.
VOCATIONAL SCHOOL VIA WORKSHOPS
In order for all to operate and run at its full capacity, Umoja Ushongo’s marketplace and makerspace (contributing to the Umoja Wellness Market) would be the main drivers behind Umoja Ushongo’s vocational school: to increase, enhance, and build the skillsets of the community across sectors and needs. Where outside education is needed, scholarships may be considered; however, the different parts of Umoja Ushongo as a whole would work together to host all kinds of experts, partners, and shareholders to enjoy Umoja Ushongo’s eco-accommodation(s) and experience the opportunity of gifting & receiving through the art of teaching a specific skillset.
UMOJA USHONGO HUB
ECO-ACCOMODATIONS, WELNESS SANCTUARY & COMMUNITY GATHERING
The Umoja Ushongo Hub would be the space that brings us all together with beautiful glamping grounds to be shared with the previously mentioned farm-to-table juicery, community café, wellness & watersports center, eco-spa & marketplace — ideal for intentional ecotourism, community gatherings, educational opportunities, and more with a fusion of influences from the community.
As Umoja Ushongo grows and develops, visiting teachers with an endless range of expertise may be interested in gifting and receiving with our local community, ie. alternative schooling for children, focused language programs, regenerative farming expertise, vocational skillets for the marketplace, marine conservation. We want to be able to host all kinds of partners and community collaborators.
UMOJA MARINE - UMOJA BAHARINI
SAILING, SNORKELING & CONSCIOUS ECO-TOURISM
Dhow Kipepeo (Sailboat Butterfly) is our local, traditional sailboat made in Ushongo with adventure travel, education, marine conservation, the blue economy, and ecotourism in mind. Equipped to take all kinds of guests and participants to our local marine park for snorkeling (or diving when applicable), cross to/from Zanzibar, enjoy a sunset cruise, explore the local rivers, or experience fishing, we also have a particular focus and intention to support ocean re-forestry, beach clean-ups, and marine conservation. We believe in a regenerative blue economy to foster wild regeneration and mutual reciprocity between the ocean and the community.
COMMUNITY AWARENESS, BLUE ECONOMY, PLASTIC UPCYCLING, REGENERATIVE FARMING
At the heart of our conservation efforts is a focus on the local community — particularly the children — to experience the endless beauty of their ocean and its wildlife while simultaneously exercising their swimming abilities for conscious, safe, and capable fishermen/women as they grow older. Additionally, we plan to empower new socioeconomic opportunities by consciously supporting the regenerative farming of seaweed and sea moss for our conscious eco-market. These local blue farming efforts would feed into our niche product production with Umoja Wellness (Mshindi) and its eco-market. Thinking of the marketplace and its dedication to regeneration, we hope to ensure the Umoja Wellness Market provides natural, reef-friendly sunscreens & resources as well.
Taking care of our waters and beach, we will ally, support, and amplify a local initiative with the kids and their supportive adults to clean our beaches from the plastics being washed ashore from the ocean. These plastics will be shredded and upcycled with a return for the community to compliment ongoing efforts to phase out plastics entirely (ie. replace reused soda bottles for juices with glass/steel jars, replace plastic food containers with other safe options, replace plastic bags with regenerative shopping bags, and more).
CORAL GARDENING, SEASANAL WIN-WIN HARVESTS, AND BEYOND
In ocean reforestation efforts, Umoja Marine hopes to partner with experts and divers to prioritize coral gardening and like-minded projects. Synergistically, we plan to facilitate beekeeping in the local mangrove — incentivizing mangrove health, improving local income, and relieving the ocean of the fishing industry’s constant pressure. Likewise, we champion the local monitoring of timely harvests/hunting as a more natural & efficient win-win for ocean restoration than farming to increase local profits with less work.
UMOJA LEARNING - UMOJA KUJIFUNZA
ECO-LEARNING, ALTERNATIVE EDUCATION, EXTRACURRICULARS, VOCATIONAL TRAINING
In a remote location, in the bush and beach lands of the Tanzanian coastline, alternative schooling is our desired path moving forward. Resonate with programs like Montessori, we believe children learn best by playing, exploring, doing, and following their curiosities.
As youth, it is important that children experience all kinds of interests, from ocean conservation and regenerative farming to vocational and communication skillets. On a global scale, we feel the art of providing for ourselves (living harmoniously and abundantly with nature) has been lost in the current systems. We would like to focus on celebrating an autonomous, empowered lifestyle by uplifting valuable skills, know-how, and awareness that is practical to everyday living — adjusting in accordance to children’s ages and interests.
This is a project to be developed step by step and would leverage Umoja Marine for an educational sailboat, swimming, and snorkeling experience. Additionally, we would like to prioritize the construction of a community sports center alongside a community arts & cultural center. From developing confidence in the ocean, to staying active with additional access to sports like basketball or tennis (via a net/backboard), to exploring creative expression via music, painting, poetry, dancing, etc. — there should be ample opportunity & guidance to do so. It’s time for the facilities & resources required.
The talent and energy of Ushongo’s youth are ready for the tools to thrive.
FAMILY SUPPORT, CHILDCARE, & NATURAL BIRTH SUPPORT
As education evolves with the children, we would like to expand education and community centers to cater to the parents, adults, and the family unit as well. The environment of the home is an important part of a child’s upbringing, and we all need a safe place to land and be supported at home. With time, we would like to explore another upcoming sector of Umoja Ushongo for women, Umoja Birth.