Mama Pweza — A living from the sea

The shoreline of Pate Island is more than a landscape. It is a place of work, knowledge, and survival. The fisherwomen participating in NRT's octopus initiative are part of an effort to support sustainable livelihoods while caring for fragile marine ecosystems. My photograph places the human story at the centre: the expression, the work, and the bond between community and sea. In 2022, NRT announced that a photograph I took in 2021 had won the top award in USAID's Locally Led Development Initiatives Photo Contest. Beyond the recognition, the image represents the power of showing communities as active participants in their own futures.