Third Space International - Zanzibar

a storytelling and acting project. 

In April 2025, Margot Zwiers and Marieke van der Steen had the opportunity to collaborate with students from the Zanzibar Learning 4 Life Foundation and Kawa Training Centre on an exciting acting and storytelling project: Third Space International. 

Through a mix of storytelling and acting workshops, students shared personal stories and recorded narratives centered around themes like ‘feeling at home’, ‘the environment’ and ‘imaginary places’. One of the highlights was a tour through ancient Stone Town, guided by students of Kawa Training Centre, who are training to become tour guides. They brought the city to life with imaginative tales of hidden, fictional places in the real streets of Zanzibar. All of these rich and diverse stories will be crafted into a film.

Looking ahead, we want to explore opportunities for developing this into a long-term initiative. Our goal is to foster meaningful, lasting exchanges between Zanzibar and the Netherlands, building bridges through the power of storytelling and performance.

Credits:

Concept: Margot Zwiers 

Workshop leaders: Margot Zwiers & Marieke van der Steen 

Photography: Carla Kogelman

This project is in cooperation with Happy Scholar, Zanzibar Learning 4 Life Foundation and Kawa Training Centre.

Spacial thanks to: Irene Witteman, Gasica, Suzanne Degeling, Nyange, Carla Kogelman and Pepa Canel.