Veganism is a growing movement in Tanzania and many other African countries, with The Vegan Society receiving an increasing number of grant applications from Tanzanian vegans
Here, we shine a light on the inspiring work being done by two vegan activists campaigning for a more vegan world by promoting the vegan diet and lifestyle in Tanzania.
Meet Vegan Activists Nathan Leonard and Jacob Nuhu 
Nathan Leonard is the Co-founder and Director of AWENET, the Animal Welfare and Environment Network for Tanzania. It is a non-profit organisation working across the whole of mainland Tanzania in collaboration with member organisations, the government, and other stakeholders to raise awareness of the welfare of companion animals, working animals, conventional farm animals, wildlife, and human kind to promote well-planned vegan diets and the conservation of nature. In 2024, AWNET received a grant from The Vegan Society to fund their project: ‘African Vegan Restaurant Week Festival.’
Jacob Nuhu is the founder of VERITAS, a volunteer-run grassroots community and animal rights organisation based in Kasulu, Western Tanganyika. VERITAS strongly recognises the links between the oppression of animals and other social justice and environmental causes. It aims to build coalitions with other organisations that promote social justice and sustainability to create a better world through the adoption of a well-planned vegan diet. In 2023, VERITAS received a grant from The Vegan Society to fund a vegan festival.
What is it like to be vegan in Tanzania?
Nathan Leonard
Being a vegan in Tanzania is usually linked to a healthy lifestyle and religious beliefs; it’s seen as being akin to observing religious norms like in Hinduism, Rastafarian or Seventh-day Adventism. However, people are also starting to recognise that being vegan for the animals and the environment is also important and enjoyable.
Jacob Nuhu
Being vegan in Tanzania is socially complex and often misunderstood. The dominant cultural narrative associates meat consumption with prestige, prosperity and social status, while diets centred on vegetables and legumes are frequently associated with poverty or financial hardship. In many rural and peri-urban communities where VERITAS operates, individuals who eat mainly vegetables are perceived as lacking financial capacity, rather than making an ethical or health-driven choice. Meat, especially beef and goat, is widely regarded as a symbol of success. This perception is reinforced during ceremonies such as weddings, funerals and public celebrations, where serving meat signifies dignity and social respect. Ironically, many traditional Tanzanian meals are naturally plant-based: beans, maize, cassava, bananas and leafy greens form the foundation of daily diets and contain all the essential nutrients.
However, the social meaning attached to meat and dairy products continues to shape behaviour. As a result, being vegan is not merely a dietary decision; it becomes a social identity that requires explanation and resilience. From an advocacy perspective, this environment demonstrates a strong structural need for sustained awareness campaigns that reposition plant-based eating as responsible, ethical, and progressive rather than as a marker of poverty.
Can you tell us about your vegan activism?
Nathan Leonard
My focus has shifted from schools to colleges, especially hospitality colleges. We train students who are studying cookery about veganism in African cuisine to enhance their cooking expertise and knowledge of diverse vegan cuisine. We have created the book Swahili Vegan Cookbook, which contains 108 recipes for delicious dishes.
The aim is to create more vegan chefs who may influence the dietary choices of their clients and eventually the dishes that are adopted in homes and change perceptions at the family level. This has been proven to be the best way of introducing vegan dishes to families, rather than our previous method of speaking to school children about veganism, through ‘school vegan sensitisation programs.’ In our new work we are also incorporating nutritional sensitisation programs, focusing on a ‘plant-based diet and alternative protein adoption such as meat substitutes.’
Jacob Nuhu
VERITAS conducts vegan activism through structured, multi-level interventions targeting community members, schoolchildren, food businesses, farmers and policymakers. Our strategy is built on the recognition that changing dietary culture requires engagement across the entire food value chain.
We organise village-based education forums where meat consumption patterns are increasing alongside livestock commercialisation. These sessions combine ethical education with practical demonstrations of plant-based recipes using locally sourced ingredients.
A field example from Buhigwe District illustrates this approach. Facilitators introduced discussions on plant-based diets as a way to reduce reliance on animal exploitation. Participants were shown how beans, groundnuts and leafy vegetables can provide sufficient protein at a lower cost than meat-based diets.
“Follow-up visits indicated that approximately one-third of participating households began reducing meat consumption frequency, particularly on weekdays”.
School engagement represents one of the most effective entry points for long-term cultural change. VERITAS conducts structured sessions in primary and secondary schools, covering animal sentience and empathy, environmental impacts of livestock production, and nutrition literacy – focusing on vegan sources of protein and ethical food choices. For instance, in several schools across Kasulu District, students participated in interactive storytelling exercises illustrating the emotional lives of animals.
These sessions were followed by practical cooking demonstrations using beans, lentils and vegetables. “Post-session feedback revealed a shift in perception among students, many of whom expressed interest in reducing meat consumption at home.”
We recognise that advocacy must extend beyond households to commercial actors within the food system. Targeted dialogue sessions are conducted with slaughterhouse operators, meat traders, restaurant owners and street food vendors.
In Kigoma, restaurant engagement programmes have encouraged businesses to introduce plant-based menu items. Some establishments have begun offering bean-based dishes and vegetable stews marketed as healthy alternatives.
One of the most critical components of VERITAS activism involves engagement with political leaders and local government authorities. This includes advocacy meetings with regional officials, participation in policy dialogues, and submission of scientific reports on animal welfare and sustainable diets.
Do you experience any barriers to being vegan?
Nathan Leonard
Yes! Especially for someone like me, who is vegan for animals. If you express it publicly, people are likely to oppose you openly or get isolated or excluded in the future; which I see as ‘stigma’ towards veganism, especially if this is related to animal rights or environmental stewardship.
Jacob Nuhu
Multiple barriers affect the VERITAS organisation in promoting veganism.
The most persistent barrier is the perception that eating vegetables reflects poverty rather than ethical awareness. In several community dialogues, participants openly stated that eating meat is necessary to maintain dignity and social recognition. This perception creates resistance to adopting plant-based diets, even when individuals understand the arguments of ethical vegans.
There is also limited formal recognition of vegan or plant-based nutrition within national food systems and education frameworks. Key gaps include lack of structured animal welfare education in schools and minimal promotion of plant-based nutrition in public health messaging. Without institutional backing, advocacy remains dependent on non-governmental initiatives.
What do you hope to see for the future of veganism?
Nathan Leonard
In a world where veganism, as a way of life, helps to reduce suffering and cruelty towards all animals, I would like to see the general public motivated towards environmental stewardship, and eager to make the world a better place to live. This means veganism should be adopted for not only diet and health, but for the prosperity of the totality of humanity.
Jacob Nuhu
The future vision for veganism in Tanzania involves systemic transformation rather than isolated individual behavioural changes. The priority is normalisation of plant-based diets through education, policy and market innovation.
VERITAS aims to shift cultural narratives so that vegetables and plant-based meals are associated with health, sustainability, and intelligence rather than poverty.
This transformation requires sustained public messaging through community meetings, radio broadcasts and the school curriculum.
The views expressed by our bloggers are not necessarily the views of The Vegan Society.
