Zena Akuwa empowers Tanzanians with disabilities through inclusive culinary training, employment, and social enterprise innovation.
Zena Akuwa’s story began in Morogoro, where she grew up as one of seven children in a lively Tanzanian household. Her life changed abruptly after she contracted severe malaria as a child, and the illness left her paralysed. Losing the full use of her legs came with challenges that shaped every stage of her life, and the later loss of both parents only intensified the weight she had to carry. Yet even in the middle of these disruptions, she found comfort in the kitchen, encouraged by her mother, who was known for her skill and confidence as a cook.
That early influence stayed with her, and years later she pursued culinary training at CEFA, an Italian NGO operating in Tanzania. She specialised in Italian cuisine and graduated with distinction in 2018, a qualification that should have given her a smooth introduction into the hospitality industry. Instead, she encountered a wall of discrimination. Although she was qualified and passionate, employers saw her disability before they saw her skills, and the constant rejection made it clear that the industry had no plans to accommodate her.
Rather than accept her reality, Zena took matters into her own hands and began building what would eventually become Parachefs Tanzania. She started small, waking up before dawn, heading to the fish auctions on her crutches, buying the day’s freshest catch, cooking every meal herself, and handling deliveries personally.
This phase was physically demanding, yet it laid the foundation for a business model built on resilience, consistency, and quality. Her food offerings grew to include a mix of fresh and cooked options, particularly Tanzanian dishes, seafood, and Italian cuisine, packaged creatively and sold at accessible prices.
As demand increased, Akuwa expanded Parachefs into more than a food delivery business and turned it into an inclusive culinary workspace. She began training people with disabilities who wanted to work in the food and hospitality industry. Instead of simply teaching skills, Parachefs hired chefs, waiters, and waitresses who all had disabilities.
Over time, she transformed what began as a one-woman operation into a cooperative team of physically impaired culinary professionals working together in a space designed to fully include them.
Her work has earned national recognition, including the Women in Management Africa Special Abilities Award in 2021, and a place among the 100 Tanzanian SHEROES for her leadership, advocacy, and social impact.
Beyond running Parachefs, she also engages actively as a disability rights advocate, contributing to national and international forums where she argues for inclusion and equal access.
She uses her social media platforms to educate communities on healthy eating and motivate disabled youths, and she collaborates with universities in Tanzania and the United States to support competitions and projects that showcase the talents of disabled students.
Zena Akuwa plans to establish Parachefs outlets in Zanzibar, Dodoma, and Arusha while also working toward a dedicated training centre in Dar es Salaam that will serve as a nationwide hub for culinary education and employment for people with disabilities.
