Introduction

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The Zanzibar Poverty Reduction Plan (ZPRP) of January 2002 is a result of wide ranging consultation with many different people. The ZPRP was produced under the guidance of an inter-ministerial technical committee that supervised the work of a planning team that did the research and wrote the document.

Empowerment of the poor includes ensuring that communities are engaged in their own development both in terms of planning and implementation and in ensuring there is a true development of democratic governance. (ZPRP Jan 2002)

This illustrated, plain language guide was written to popularise the policies which are included in the plan. The ZPRP Popularisation Task Force (ZPRP-PTF) is made up of people from a wide range of groups that are working together to make sure that all Zanzibaris know about the ZPRP, that they understand what it is saying, and that they are able and willing to act to help implement and shape its recommendations.

The revolutionary foundations of Zanzibar were built on a concern for equality and improving the living conditions of ordinary Zanzibaris. Since the early 1960s Zanzibar has been tackling issues of poverty, inequality, inadequate education, and generally low health and welfare standards. Economic reforms since the mid-1980s have not as yet made a significant dent on poverty. This is in part due to Zanzibar being a small island territory and therefore very prone to economic shocks caused by the changing world prices of key imports and exports. It is also to some extent due to Zanzibar being part of a larger country which needs to achieve high levels of growth if it is to break out of the poverty trap.

This booklet begins by dividing poverty into two main types and seeing how much they apply in Zanzibar. This is followed by a description of the main ideas in the plan and some thoughts about how we will know if the plan is working. The second half of the booklet describes the ZPRP’s main priorities and explains what needs to be done in sixteen key action areas. There are notes at the back of the booklet that describe how the plan was made and where the money to support the plan might come from and how it will be used.