Unguja. In an inspiring shift toward homegrown empowerment, hospitality and property development firm Shivo Tanzania has revealed that it is transforming the lives of young Zanzibaris by training and promoting local staff from within — rather than relying on foreign expertise.
Speaking in an interview, Shivo Tanzania CEO Richard Ashbysaid the company has built a model that prioritises character, trust, and opportunity over prior experience, giving local youth, many of whom were previously unemployed or in vulnerable conditions, a new lease on life.
“We took on quite a few young people that basically didn’t even have jobs — some were almost on the street, some Zanzibari, some from the mainland — and we went by character,” Ashby said.
“We tried to build a team of people with good values who maybe just needed a chance and had lost their way a bit.”
He explained that because the company has been growing rapidly, trust and reliability were considered more important than technical experience. “Experience you can teach,” he noted, “but character you can’t. So, we gave young people a lot of responsibility very quickly, and many have grown into supervisory and management positions.”
According to Ashby, several team members who began with minimal experience — including former housemaids — have progressed to become receptionists, supervisors, and even managers.
The company now employs roughly 40 staff, the vast majority of whom are Zanzibari or mainland Tanzanians, with no foreign on-site staff.
“Effectively, we don’t have any foreign staff. Our entire on-land team is either from the mainland or from Zanzibar,” Ashby said. “I’m literally the only foreigner in the company.”
While Shivo works with a small network of overseas consultants in areas like IT, bookings, and accounting, all operational management roles are handled by Tanzanians.
‘In fact, even our British based directors, are in fact also Zanzibari, in Rawhiyah and Tamraheen Rashid.’
Ashby cited the example of Amanda Gobba, a Tanzanian who grew up in South Africa, worked in New York for nine years, and now manages major operations for the firm.
The company’s inclusive approach also extends to day-to-day work culture, where staff are encouraged to take on multiple roles and support one another across departments.
“If we’ve got small jobs like pipework, construction, or handyman tasks, we let our own team do it for extra pay rather than hiring outsiders,” Ashby said.
“Even the chef at one point helped out when we’re building a fence — there’s a whole vibe of teamwork and belonging.”
Ashby added that the company receives many job applications but prefers to promote from within, rewarding those who have demonstrated loyalty and values through hands-on experience.
“We always choose to promote someone we’ve already tested and proven in the thick of the fight,” he said. “It’s not just about efficiency — it’s about rewarding the people who’ve helped us grow.”
Shivo’s local-first policy has helped it build a deeply rooted workforce while contributing to skills transfer and economic empowerment among Zanzibari youth.
“We’re proud that our senior people on land are all Tanzanians,” Ashby concluded. “What we’ve created is more than a team — it’s a family.”
