Dear readers, this week we waded into the world of sponge farming...
As the tide recedes, sand flats emerge from the azure sea and the once-deserted Zanzibar beach buzzes with activity. But out far beyond the shallows, a group of women walk holding snorkels, masks, mesh bags and knives.
Historically, this area of the Indian Ocean was dominated by seaweed farms, many of them providing rare jobs for women, writes photojournalist Jennifer Adler, but climate change has made growing seaweed increasingly difficult as water temperatures in shallow lagoons become too hot for seaweed to survive. For these women wading out to sea, a novel, more profitable and resilient crop has emerged: sponges.
All 11 sponge farmers in the coastal town of Jambiani are women; they own and run their own farms following a yearlong training set up by local conservation nonprofit Marinecultures, and they earn up to five times more than seaweed farmers. The work helps give them the independence to live in an increasingly expensive region and step out of women’s traditional roles on the Muslim island.
“There is no work for most women,” said Zedi Abdallah Abdallah, as she holds a patient infant in her lap. She has farmed sponges for two years. “It has helped me a lot by allowing me to buy clothes for my children, buy furniture, etc. I would like more women to be engaged in sponge farming so that we may benefit together.”
What do you think? We'd love to hear from you. Cheers, Laura, Amanda and Kyla | 
