The unfinished restaurant in Sabaki, Malindi, Kenya, is still little more than concrete walls and wooden beams. As her daughter sweeps away the last piles of sand, 54-year-old Nuru Mohammed directs women hanging fishing nets to serve as décor. In a few days, the beachside restaurant on Kenya's Indian Ocean coast will open, offering another way to earn a living. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing Associated Press.
"For us women, this is hope," says Mohammed, who for most of her life was one of the few fisherwomen in Malindi, a town northeast of the port city of Mombasa. "It will help support many families that have depended on the ocean for decades."
Across East Africa's coast, fisherfolk are increasingly turning to alternative livelihoods as fish catches decline due to climate change, overfishing, and ocean acidification. The Samito Women Group, besides the restaurant, is also involved in mangrove restoration. Group chair Beatrice Mwanyiro says, "We must not only take from the ocean but also protect it."
Construction of the restaurant began in June 2026 and aims to create jobs for local women. The project is supported by local authorities and international organizations.