Maajabu Fish Farming

Maajabu is a youth-led aquaculture enterprise in Tongogara Refugee Settlement, Zimbabwe, breeding Tilapia fish to bridge the protein gap. Founded in November 2022. We produce: Raise Tilapia (chosen for fast growth and nutrition) in ponds (one of 8m²and another of 9x12m). We sell: We supply fresh fish to 6 restaurants, 5 retailers, and direct consumers in the Settlement. We are a team of 6 skilled members with training in fish farming, business, and marketing.

Maajabu addresses the scarcity and high cost of fish in the Tongogara Refugee Settlement, where 22,000 refugees (52% of whom are youths) struggle to access affordable protein. Tilapia fish is rare in landlocked Zimbabwe, especially in rural and refugee settings, leading to malnutrition, such as child underdevelopment and inflated prices. We know this is a real pain point because our first harvest of 143kg sold out within an hour, demonstrating high demand. Local authorities and NGOs like UNHCR have highlighted the protein gap in reports. And restaurants and retailers consistently request our fresh, affordable fish (30% cheaper than imported alternatives).

In a market where imported frozen fish like Mackerel dominates, Maajabu stands out by offering fresh, locally bred Tilapia, ensuring higher nutritional value and better taste for consumers in Tongogara Refugee Camp. Unlike competitors, we sell fish directly from our ponds, guaranteeing freshness that frozen imports cannot match. Additionally, our pricing strategy makes us highly competitive; we sell Tilapia at 30% cheaper rates than existing options, making protein more accessible to low-income refugees.