What is the Musafir?
Musafir means traveller. It is a word that can be found in many languages like Arabic, Farsi, Hindi, Kiswahili and Urdu. In Romanian and Turkish it translates into ´guest´.
The Musafir, a 70-foot dhow being built in Kenya, aims to create a platform for people to come together and share an experience. Providing room for 20 Musafiri crew members, it serves as a creative space that allows all those aboard to experience an alternative way of travelling. The idea is to set sail and reach small coastal settlements, where we can exchange knowledge, skills and consciousness with the people we meet on our path.
Musafir is more than just a boat, it’s a way of life. All Musafiri, the members of the crew, share the vision of the journey as a life path. Therefore the Musafir journey is not simply a movement in space, but also an adventure of the spirit. To sail and be guided by the winds, to travel and explore is more important than reaching a specific destination.
What´s our Story?
Musafir is a volunteer-based project which started 4 years ago in the small boat-building community of Kipini, on the northern coast of Kenya, Africa. A vision created by Paolo and Louis, the Musafir has attracted over 50 volunteers who have helped bring this vision into reality. (Check out the stories of the rest of the Musafir crew here!)
Each volunteer brings their own specific set of skills to the project: going from carpenters to painters, photographers to musicians, teachers to communication experts, over professional chefs to permaculture gardeners, as well as experienced sailors and travelling artisans. This very diverse group of people from every corner of the world has come together because of their shared love for travel, adventure and community.
So far most of our time and energy has been put into building the boat. At the same time Musafir has also undertaken a range of projects such as creative school workshops, tree planting initiatives, upcycling used items and more! (Read more about the projects we have started so far on our website)
What does the Musafir aim to achieve in the future?
We want to set sail and to enjoy the adventure of the unknown! Along the way we want to create more volunteer based projects which will empower us and the people we meet through integrated experiences. The specific types of projects Musafir will undertake depends upon the opportunities we encounter and the skills we have on board.
We want to promote a sustainable, simple way of living, in harmony with our surroundings, allowing room for beauty and positivity. We envision a large variety of initiatives, going from creative projects incorporating dance, music and any other type of artistic expression, as well as other educational or technical ventures to facilitate exchanges with the communities that we meet along the way.
Why do we need your help today?
The goal now is to finish the build of the boat and set sail in March 2016 for our first destination outside of Kenya: Mozambique!
As the Musafir depends on the seasonal winds, which have always guided dhows on the traditional trading routes, the month of March will be the perfect time to sail, making use of the Kaskazi winds blowing South. After March the winds change and Musafir will have to wait for another year for the next opportunity to sail South.
Putting in our own financial means, passion and hard labour, we have managed to get the Musafir to its current, nearly completed state. Now we need your help to finish the job and make the dream a reality!
Become part of the journey! Each contribution, however small or great, will go towards finishing the boat and getting it ready for us to set sail!
What do we need to set sail?
Building Material
- 10 Wood blocks (for making the pulley system to raise the sails) - 50 USD
- 2 Packs of Marine Glue - 70 USD (35 USD / pack)
- 6 Kg of Cotton for Caulking - 90 USD (15 USD / kg)
- 20 liters of Linseed Oil (to protect the woodwork) - 120 USD
- 200 meters of Rope (18mm) - 120 USD (0.60 USD / meter)
- 30 Aluminium wheels (for the pulley system to raise the sails) - 180 USD
- 2 Water Tanks of 2000 liters - 400 USD (200 USD / tank)
- 35 Pine Planks (for building cabins) - 420 USD (12 USD / plank)
Boat Equipment
- Windlass (winch to pull up the anchor) - 200 USD
- 2nd Sail - 250 USD
Safety Equipment
- Safety Flare - 50 USD
- 2 Safety Rafts - 3000 USD (1500 USD / raft)
Electronics
- 1 Solar panel (+battery & inverter) - 1000 USD
- GPS system - 2000 USD
Other
- 3 Charts of Sea and Land area - 30 USD (10 USD / chart)
- Wages of Carpenters & Workers - 500 USD
- Registration + insurance of the boat - 1800 USD
The total sum of these costs, plus adding costs to run this campaign, this adds up to a cost of 11,000 USD.
Learn more:
Visit our website: http://musafir.org
Also check out our facebook page: https://web.facebook.com/MusafirTheJourney/
Rewards:
Musafir Love, Soul & a T! - We will send you an email to request the size and colour of the Musafir Crew T-shirt you want.
Musafir Love, Soul & a Bit of Wood! - Get a unique piece of the Musafir in your own house! We have some chopping boards & serving plates on offer. Each of them with a unique shape & size!
