The Zanzibar Mabe initiative

[pbazar]

I have been working with the University of Rhode Island (my alma mater) Coastal Resources Center on a project I am very excited about. I am also looking for people that find this interesting and would like to get involved. The pearls are very rough and equipment is needed to improve quality.Please feel free to contact me for more information

Women living in a coastal village on the island of Zanzibar in the Indian Ocean have come across an intriguing and innovative way of raising their incomes and business skills through cultivation of iridescent “half-pearls” from oysters along their shore. These captivating, luminescent gems are harvested by the women, who polish and sell them to local residents and tourists, and professional jewelers, who can then set them in striking silver and gold designs. The women of
the Fumba Peninsula, on Menai Bay, have developed a profitable supplemental income that is helping them pull out of the poverty faced by many coastal dwellers on Zanzibar

http://www.pearls.com/news2/pp49/planting_the_seeds.htm

 

[effisk]

Interesting. Have you read this article? http://www.pearl-professor.com/2009/01/black-lip-pearls-and-africa.html

It seems there are several projects going on in the area.

 

[pattye]

Peter,

Thanks much for bringing this excellent project to our attention! Are you helping to distribute the mabes?

 

[pearl guide]

Good work Peter. I don't see why pearl production by locals wouldn't be a brilliant long-lasting project, unless some foreign greed gets in there.

 

[pbazar]

I have offered to buy them but all are now going to local tourist trade

 

[Orient]

Interesting link and project. Thanks for pointing it out. Do you know the mollusc used and what they are using as nuclei? I presume the nuclei are saltwater fashioned from local molluscs too?

 

[pbazar]

They are using plastic nuclei. I am not sure what mollusk they are using

 

[pattye]

I have offered to buy them but all are now going to local tourist trade

Too bad, I was hoping to get a few to play with! Don't they take out the plastic nuclei and fill with resin and then MOP backing?