OUR STORY – OUR VISION

Simon, a British traveler, and engineer who has had a long-standing love affair with Africa met Francesca, an Italian creative who had been working in the tourism sector for many years. Francesca’s passions however are her dedication to women’s empowerment projects as well as a shared love with Simon for traveling and African culture. After meeting and falling in love, not only with each other but also with the beautiful island of Unguja (Zanzibar), its amazing community and a shared vision for a working future together.

It was love at first sight, it was destiny.

Francesca & Simon lived their romance and spent their weekends and holidays in their family home in Jambiani. They often invited and hosted friends from all over the world to share the magic of the place and make them fall in love with Zanzibar too. They even had their wedding ceremony on the beach and a big party with family and friends on the villa’s patio.

Zanzibar was always meant to be their home.

In 2010 Francesca and Simon welcomed the arrival of their sunshine child, their son Luca. Making the trio complete, Luca’s free spirit is in harmony with nature, art, and music – just as the island intended. He was conceived and raised in Zanzibar; a land which he considers home and the best place in the entire world!

Today, the family of three still lives on the Island where they have founded and support several projects and companies within the local community with a specific focus on women’s groups.

Francesca has opened a beautiful local trade concept store in Stone Town, “The Wonders Boutique”. Within this space, she supports and shares the work of many artisans from Zanzibar and all over the world. Simon founded a screen-printing company, Frasi Africa which employs mostly local women whilst working in the textile sector.

It is a beautiful story of love and life, which wouldn’t be told without some challenges of course – but there is no doubt that Zanzibar was their destiny and Zanzibar is where they belong.