Tumaini means hope in Swahili. In this project, I portray young people in Zanzibar and on the Tanzanian mainland and explore what hope means to them. The common thread is Othuman Juma Wazere, a young man with whom I spent most of my time in Zanzibar.
 

For many tourists, Zanzibar is a dream destination. Tourism is the island’s main source of income, but the local population benefits from it only to a limited extent. Many hotels are owned by investors from outside Zanzibar, and the best-paid jobs often go to people from elsewhere. For many young people, only low-paid work remains, or no work at all. On the mainland, too, many young people are looking for work and a way to move forward.
 

Yet they do not speak of giving up. Othuman inspired me with his thoughts on hope. According to him, whatever your circumstances, you have to make the best of what you have. He draws his hope from his family and from people who encourage him to keep going, even when life is difficult. As he puts it: “Not because life is easy, but because there are still opportunities to learn, to work, to start a business and to build a better life.”
 

He sees the differences between himself and the tourists, but above all the chance to meet and learn from each other. I find that fascinating: that in difficult circumstances, people mainly look at the positive. The young people I met make the best of their situation and encourage each other to hold on to hope and create opportunities for a better future.
 

His story forms the heart of the series. Around him, I portray other young people, in Zanzibar and mainland Tanzania, who each hold on to hope in their own way. The portraits show their determination, pride and dreams, in the environment where their hope takes shape.