Although international influences have affected Zanzibar for centuries, some rural areas have remained largely unaffected by globalization until a few decades ago when Zanzibar emerged as a tourist destination and commercial seaweed farming was introduced. This paper focuses on local responses to these two external drivers of change, from the perspectives of women and men on the south-eastern coast of Unguja Island where they strive to improve their livelihoods. Longitudinal social anthropological surveys using interactive methods were used to reveal the perspectives and coping strategies of individuals under multidimensional poverty. The study thus focused on micro-level diversity and diversification in the modes of livelihood over time and within broader national and global frameworks. The tourist boom in the 1990s was followed by fluctuations and a decline in backpackers who had until then benefited the local economy. Seaweed production, undertaken almost exclusively by women, has steadily increased since the late 1980s. Although it entails hard work for limited returns, seaweed has become highly significant in boosting women’s empowerment and securing their livelihood; economic diversification is central to the livelihood of poor women.