• 6 Mlingotini Close, Plot No 53 Regent Street, Regent Estate
  • info@soma.or.tz
  • +255 673 014 071
  • 6 Mlingotini Close, Plot No 53 Regent Street, Regent Estate
  • info@soma.or.tz
  • +255 673 014 071
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Kestoria kavazi

Kestoria Kavazi Program

Kestoria Kavazi: Preserving Feminist Herstories

Archiving stories that inspire resilience.

Kestoria Kavazi is Soma Book Café’s multimedia archive, dedicated to preserving the herstories of African feminists. Since 2018, we’ve been capturing oral histories, digital content, and narratives that document the triumphs and challenges of feminist leaders. Explore our archive and contribute to a legacy that ensures these stories live on for future generations.

About Kestoria Kavazi

Kestoria Kavazi—meaning “a place of stories” in a blend of Swahili inspiration—was born out of a need to preserve the legacies of African feminists whose voices are often erased by history. Since 2018, Soma Book Café has been building this archive to document the lived experiences of women and activists, creating a bridge between past struggles and future movements. Our mission is to foster sisterhood, resilience, and learning by ensuring that feminist herstories are accessible to all—researchers, activists, youth, and communities. Kestoria Kavazi is more than an archive; it’s a living testament to the power of memory in movement-building.

What We Do.

Kestoria Kavazi collects and preserves feminist herstories through:

Oral Histories: We record in-depth interviews with feminist leaders, capturing their personal journeys. For example, in 2022, we documented the story of Amina, a Tanzanian activist who led a women’s cooperative in the 1980s, preserving her lessons on community organizing.
Digital Archives: Our online repository includes videos, audio recordings, and written narratives. One highlight is a 2023 video series featuring five feminist leaders from Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania discussing their experiences with burnout and resilience.
Storytelling Workshops: We host workshops where women share their stories in a safe space. In 2024, a workshop in Dar es Salaam brought together 20 women, including a young poet who shared her journey of surviving gender-based violence.
Public Access and Education: We make our archive accessible to the public through Soma’s feminist resource room and online platforms, encouraging researchers and activists to use these stories for advocacy and education.

Our Impact.

Kestoria Kavazi is preserving a legacy of feminist resilience and inspiring new generations:

  • Over 50 Herstories Documented: Since 2018, we’ve recorded stories from feminist leaders across five African countries, including Tanzania, Kenya, and Uganda.
  • Healing Through Storytelling: A participant in a 2024 workshop shared, “Telling my story helped me heal—it was the first time I felt truly heard.”
  • Educational Resource: In 2023, a university in Dar es Salaam used our archive for a gender studies course, with students citing Kestoria Kavazi as a “vital resource” for understanding feminist history.
  • Building Sisterhood: Our 2023 video series on burnout fostered solidarity, with one leader saying, “I thought I was alone in my struggles—now I know I’m part of a sisterhood.”
  • Inspiring Action: A young activist in 2024 credited Amina’s story with inspiring her to start a women’s savings group in her community.

Get Involved: Join the Movement

Be part of Soma’s feminist storytelling revolution.

Have a story to tell? Share your experiences with us.

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Explore our programs

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Contact Information

  • Phone: +255 673 014 071
  • 6 Mlingotini Close, Plot No 53 Regent Street, Regent Estate
  • P. O. Box 106274 Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

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