Breaking tides: Muslim women shatter barriers in Kenya's marine fisheries Sector

Ziza Mbarak Said and Manthura Yussuf -Founder Malindi women in fisheries, At shella fish landing site malindi. [Levis Musumba, Standard]

Tucked away in the historic town of Malindi is the ancient fishing village of Shella, where the ocean’s restless tides carry echoes of a once-thriving past. Once a bustling port in the Indian Ocean trade network during the 9th and 15th centuries, Shella welcomed majestic dhows from Arabia, Persia, India, and later Europe.

While the rest of the coast gradually embraced modernisation, Shella was left behind. Its resilient people, underserved and with untapped potential, have long struggled to move forward.