This story was written by CuratEast as part of their engagement with IUCN through the BRIDGE Gender Grants Programme.
Our introduction to Marasibora began at Kwa Wambura Fishing Site.
Set within the Mara wetland complex in northern Tanzania, Marasibora is part of a landscape shaped by seasonal floodplains, papyrus marshes and waterways that eventually feed into Lake Victoria. Around the village, small farms sit alongside grazing areas, fishing sites and stretches of wetland vegetation. For many households, these wetlands are woven into everyday life, providing food, income and materials that support entire families.
As we moved through the community with Mrs. Siproza Charles Nyadhi, Assistant Chairperson of the North Mara Water User Association and former Chairperson of Marasibora Village, it became clear that the wetlands here are understood less as a distinct ecosystem and more as part of daily routine.
By the time we arrived at Kwa Wambura, women had already gathered around piles of freshly caught fish spread across the grass. Some cleaned and sorted the catch for their families, while others negotiated prices and selected fish to take to nearby markets.
All images are courtesy of CuratEast.
There was something familiar about the scene. It echoed what we had witnessed across the border in Uganda at Nalyoba, Maduwa and Majanji, where fishing sites also serve as centres of livelihood and exchange. In each of these communities, women play a vital role in local fish economies, purchasing directly from fishers, processing the catch and transporting it to nearby markets. Though separated by geography and national boundaries, the rhythms of wetland life shared striking similarities.
“The women come very early,” Mrs. Nyadhi explained. “They buy the fish here and later take them to the market at around 2pm.”
Among the fish we saw caught here were several species of African lungfish and catfish, which thrive in the marshes, floodplains and shallow channels connected to the Mara River system. Different fishing methods are used depending on the species and season.
Gill nets are often set overnight in wetland channels and rivers, trapping fish as they attempt to swim through the mesh. Hook-and-line fishing is also another commonly used method here, while traditional basket and trap systems are placed in narrow channels where fish move through flooded grasslands. During the dry season, when water levels recede, fish become concentrated in shrinking pools and can be harvested by hand.
Watching the women work, it became evident that they occupy an important place within this local economy. They clean, gut and prepare fish for sale, purchase directly from fishers and transport the catch to nearby markets. In many households, they also decide what is sold and what remains at home.
The wetlands, however, support more than fishing.
A short distance from Kwa Wambura, we found another group of women carrying long green papyrus stems from the marshes. The same landscape that provides fish also provides the raw materials for a thriving craft economy.
Women move through the wetlands harvesting papyrus, selecting mature stems that are long and strong enough for weaving. The stems are carried home, sorted, dried in the sun and stored in large bundles before being transformed into finished products.
For more than forty years, Mrs. Nyadhi has worked with papyrus.
“I started by making mats and baskets,” she recalled.
More than twenty years ago, while serving on the committee of the North Mara River Association, she participated in a training programme in Kenya sponsored by Birdlife International. The training introduced participants to new ways of using papyrus.
“They taught us that papyrus could be used for many things” she said. “When I returned home, I started teaching other women, and we have now been using papyrus to make basket, storage containers, mats, chairs and furniture, roofing materials, decorative crafts, trays and household organizers and market products for sale to tourists and urban buyers and we even recently made a coffin demonstrating just how versatile the material can be”.
What she brought back did more than introduce a new skill. It widened opportunities for other women in the community.
They sell these products through local markets, creating an income stream that has supported families.
Papyrus has also become part of the community’s conservation story.
What started as a livelihood activity gradually became an alternative to cutting down trees.
Unlike timber, papyrus regenerates naturally when harvested correctly because its root system remains intact. As more households embraced papyrus products, dependence on wood for certain household items reduced, offering an alternative to cutting down trees.
Recognising this link between livelihoods and conservation, local authorities introduced penalties of more than 300,000 Tanzanian shillings for individuals found illegally burning or destroying papyrus. Yet protecting this resource remains a challenge.
“Before, this area had only papyrus,” Mrs. Nyadhi said. “Now there is a mixture of other weeds.”
The spread of invasive vegetation has made it harder for papyrus to thrive. During the dry season, some fishers burn sections of the wetland to create access to fishing grounds, reducing the availability of papyrus and forcing women to travel further into the marshes to harvest suitable stems. The work becomes more difficult and increasingly risky.
Recognising that these environmental pressures have direct implications for women’s livelihoods, Blue Victoria has worked to strengthen women’s participation in the management of the natural resources on which they depend. With support from IUCN through the Swiss-funded Building River Dialogue and Governance (BRIDGE) Programme, women have participated in awareness sessions and capacity-building initiatives focused on biodiversity conservation, sustainable resource use and local governance. Through these sessions, women have gained knowledge and confidence to engage more actively in community discussions and local decision-making processes related to the protection and use of wetland resources.
The North Mara River Committee currently consists of 25 members, 12 of whom are women. These initiatives are helping ensure that women are not only resource users, but also contributors to decisions about how those resources are managed, bringing their experiences and perspectives to efforts to safeguard the wetland for future generations.
Marasibora reminded us that wetlands are far more than ecological landscapes. They are living systems woven into the daily rhythms of community life. Here, fish sustain households, papyrus creates opportunities for income, and grazing grounds support livestock. The wetlands filter water, nurture biodiversity, and quietly underpin local economies.
Yet their true significance lies in the people whose lives are intertwined with them. For families in Marasibora, the future of the wetlands is measured not only by environmental indicators, but by whether there are still fish to catch, papyrus to harvest, and opportunities for younger generations to inherit both a livelihood and the knowledge that has sustained their communities for decades.
