ZANZIBAR, Jan. 12 -- “I USED to worry about rain, mud and theft,” says Ms Faiza Mohamed Juma, a vegetable trader at Mwanakwerekwe Market.

“Today, I open my stall knowing my goods are safe, customers are comfortable and business is better.”

Her voice echoes across Zanzibar as the islands mark 62 years since the 1964 Revolution, a milestone not only of history, but of visible change.

From Unguja to Pemba, traders, farmers and small entrepreneurs say the construction of modern markets has restored dignity to their daily work and strengthened livelihoods that form the backbone of the local economy.

Markets at the heart of everyday life

In Zanzibar now, markets are more than trading spaces. They are social centres,...