28/04/2026
From 23rd to 31st March, our team — Raffaele Gorjux (Team Leader), Simon Woodward (Cultural Expert), Awadh Salim (Community Engagement and MSME Development Specialist), Giulia Gorjux (Technical Coordinator) and Alice Durì (Project Manager) — carried out a field mission in Lamu, Kenya, as part of the project “Lamu Creative and Cultural Industries”.
The mission began with a series of introductory meetings and exchanges with local representatives and sector professionals, providing valuable insights into the local context.
Over the course of the week, we visited a wide range of sites and engaged directly with local practitioners. In Lamu Old Town, we explored artisan shops, cultural landmarks, museums, and the Fort. We also visited Shela and its surrounding areas, including sites where traditional boat building takes place.
In Matondoni, we observed boat repair activities and met women’s groups engaged in weaving, gaining a first-hand understanding of local production processes. Travelling along the coast, we also experienced the mangrove ecosystems that characterise the island, as well as the richness of Swahili culture and cuisine.
On 25th March, two dedicated workshops were held. The first brought together artisans, craftspeople, boat builders, poets and artists to explore production processes, challenges and future perspectives. The second workshop engaged tourism operators — including guides, boat captains and hospitality professionals — to better understand the connections between cultural production and tourism.
The mission provided key insights into both challenges and opportunities, contributing to the next steps in supporting the growth of Lamu’s creative and cultural sector.
For more information, please visit www.keios.it
