Five African NGOs will now have the funding they need to support artisans and uplift communities thanks to a groundbreaking joint project from UN Tourism and the TUI Care Foundation.

The ‘Colourful Cultures’ initiative puts artists and artisans in rural communities at the heart of tourism development in Africa. A first call for proposals attracted 141 applications from non-profit organisations across Africa. The five chosen projects will benefit people and places across Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, and Tanzania through financial assistance and additional capacity-building.

The announcement represents a landmark moment for UN Tourism as, for the first time, it provides direct financing and technical support to grassroots organisations. Selected projects will support artisanal livelihoods, strengthen social inclusion through tourism, and boost the creative economy in remote communities.

UN Tourism Secretary-General Shaikha Al Nuwais, says: “This first call for proposals for the Tourism for Rural Development Small Grants, enabled by TUI Care Foundation, reflects our commitment to community-led tourism in rural areas. The awarded projects provide important local foundations for creatives and entrepreneurs in rural Africa. They not only advance economic empowerment but help us position tourism as a key driver for rural development.”

TUI Care Foundation Chairman Thomas Ellerbeck says: “Together with UN Tourism, the TUI Care Foundation is proud to provide support and financial assistance to rural communities and further solidify the position of tourism as a driver for rural development. We deeply believe that the carefully selected projects will create a positive impact for both rural host communities and their visitors.

Through this partnership, UN Tourism and TUI Care Foundation promote tourism as an important driver for community-based solutions, innovative financing, and sustainable transformation in rural areas.

This project boosts local artisan income for communities around the Gorongosa National Park, with a focus on empowering people with disabilities by strengthening local product development and market access. The core of the project involves developing locally certified artisanal products that showcase local culture, expanding market access through tourism partnerships, and creating a socially innovative network that links artisans, tour guides, and sustainable tourism actors. The project empowers up to 110 people, with women representing more than 60% of the direct beneficiaries. It engages community leaders, institutional representatives, and tourism actors through training, workshops, and collaboration.

Rooted in the indigenous Khwe community of rural Namibia; this project aims to revitalise traditional arts through training in product development and cultural storytelling by supporting a cultural centre for artisans within the Bwabwata National Park. Providing space and technical support, the project will empower the guardians of Namibian cultural heritage and position their creativity within sustainable tourism circuits. The project will directly support 50 Khwe artisans, strengthening their skills, visibility, and access to sustainable tourism value chains.

Focused on two cooperatives of women and youth artisans in Nkotsi and Bisate villages in the Musanze District, this project is set to boost and diversify income generation through hands-on training in visual arts, entrepreneurship skills, and global storytelling. It aims to strengthen Musanze’s creative tourism appeal while building capacity for communities to access the tourism market. The project aims to directly benefit up to 100 women and young people from artisan cooperatives in Nkotsi and Bisate villages by strengthening their creative skills, entrepreneurial capacity and access to tourism markets.

This project aims to advance the protection of the ecologically rich Busaga Forest while transforming it into a women and youth-led tourism destination. By establishing guided forest experiences and integrating locally made handicrafts, it aims to strengthen biodiversity conservation, community-based tourism, and the diversification of rural livelihoods. The project will directly support 30 community members, most of them women, creating new opportunities linked to forest conservation, tour guiding services, and local craft production.

With a focus on cultural preservation, this project will establish a community-run training programme for local women and young people in arts, crafts, and tourism services. It aims to turn heritage into an opportunity by promoting skills, pride, and economic empowerment in Kiteto District, Tanzania. The project will train 50 people, 60% of which are women, equipping them with practical skills in arts, crafts, and tourism services.