ZANZIBAR, Tanzania, July 2 (Xinhua) -- Along the coastline of Fumba on Tanzania's Zanzibar Unguja Island, the construction of a new port is underway, bringing opportunities to a community that once grappled with limited access to basic services and scarce employment.
For 26-year-old Omari Hamis Ramadhani, a lifelong resident of Fumba, the change is both visible and deeply personal. "One of the most important benefits is access to government-supplied water," he said. "Before the project, we had no piped water. Now we have clean and safe water, something we could not achieve before."
The Fumba Port project, built by China Railway Jianchang Engineering Company (CRJE) (East Africa) Limited, has become a catalyst for local development. Beyond the construction of critical infrastructure, it has brought tangible improvements to daily life through employment opportunities, business growth and better public services.
Ramadhani said women in the community have benefited significantly, with many launching small businesses to serve workers at the construction site, helping improve household incomes and strengthen their financial independence.
"The relationship between the Chinese and the local community has been good," he added. "We cooperate to solve problems together."
Construction of the project began in late January 2025. According to Liu Wei, deputy general manager of the CRJE Zanzibar branch, the initial contract was valued at 30 million U.S. dollars, with completion scheduled for January 2027.
Originally designed to accommodate vessels of up to 30,000 tonnes, the port is now being expanded to handle ships of up to 50,000 tonnes following a design upgrade in mid-2026.
The project currently employs more than 300 workers, the majority of them local residents, and is expected to create about 500 permanent jobs once it becomes operational.
For 28-year-old Abdul Omari, a father of two employed at the construction site, the project has been life-changing. "Before this, I worked from job to job just to feed my family," he said. "Now I have stable employment close to home."
Beyond creating jobs, the port is expected to significantly enhance Zanzibar's economy. Once operational, it will help ease congestion at existing ports, where vessels often face delays lasting several weeks, while reducing the cost of importing essential commodities such as rice, flour and cooking oil.
As Zanzibar relies heavily on imported goods, the expanded port capacity is expected to lower logistics costs, improve the efficiency of cargo handling and ultimately help reduce the cost of living for local residents.
Omari said the project has also equipped workers with valuable vocational skills. "When I first joined, I knew nothing about construction. Now I can build, work with steel, and handle electrical tasks," he said. "We are learning directly from the Chinese workers through practical training."
He added that higher and more stable incomes have enabled him and many of his colleagues to better support their families by paying school fees, meeting daily household expenses and purchasing basic necessities.
"We see our lives improving day by day," he said. ■