G-Mdadisi
Senior Member
- Feb 15, 2018
- 165
- 100
IN efforts to ensure that Tanzania successfully implements the four goals of achieving a Generation Equality program, the Forum for African Women Educationalists, Zanzibar (FAWE Zanzibar) empowers women in Zanzibar to overcome economic barriers.
In collaboration with UN Women Tanzania, FAWE Zanzibar is contributing to achieving these goals by implementing the UN Joint Programme on Accelerating Progress towards Rural Women’s Economic Empowerment (JPRWEE), which aims to secure rural women's livelihood and rights.
The implementation of this program goes hand in hand with providing training to women to help them gain business skills, financial literacy, and access to loans to start and grow their businesses.
Among the successes highlighted by the beneficiaries of this project which is implemented in the Southern Region of Unguja, are increased employment opportunities, which have improved household income and reduced dependence on husbands.
They said the project has enabled many women to start small businesses, such as selling agricultural products, tailoring, and producing home goods like soap and candles.
Not only women have benefited from this project, but even men have found it to be a key to achieving economic justice and equality.
Assaa Hassan Khamis, a member of the SUBIRA INA MALIPO cooking group from Uzi shehia in the Southern Region of Unguja, said, “The success I am proud of is receiving cooking training, which has helped me to be self-employed and to assist my wife with cooking tasks when she has a problem.”
Similarly, Mwanakombo Nyange Shamata from the UROA SACCOS group said they received loans that helped them purchase equipment for seaweed farming, which they rely on for their daily livelihoods.
“We have achieved great success in this project because we received loans that allowed us to buy equipment for seaweed farming, which is our main economic resource,” explained Mwanakombo with a smile.
Shida Hassan Mambo, from the TUPENDANE group in Uroa, Central District of Zanzibar, said that through financial management training, many women in their area have been able to run their businesses more efficiently.
She further noted that they have learned strategies for saving, keeping financial records, and planning their expenses well, which has helped many businesses grow.
“The project has greatly helped us women in our economic activities, including saving and borrowing, which has helped us overcome financial challenges when we encounter problems,” said the group member.
Despite several efforts being taken, Zanzibar still faces challenges in the seaweed market.
“The government has set the price of a kilogram of seaweed to be bought at 1,000 shillings, but buyers purchase it for 700 shillings. We gain nothing but pain,” said Arabia Fauzi Pandu, a member of the USALAMA WETU seaweed group from Jambiani in the Southern District.
FAWE Zanzibar's Monitoring and Evaluation Officer, Shaban Suleiman, said the project economically empowers rural women to see that they achieve economic progress in their lives.
“We have provided them with entrepreneurship and business education so that they can engage in economic activities by coming together, and we have encouraged them to take loans from the government for further development,” said Shaaban.
Silvia Lanzarini, Monitoring Officer and Program Specialist from UN Women visiting the beneficiaries advised women entrepreneurs to save money in their groups to access more loans that will help address challenges within their groups and surrounding communities.
“I am pleased to meet you and to see your successes and challenges in this project; I hope you are enjoying the achievements you have gained,” Silvia told them, showing her delight in their efforts.
The Tanzania Generation Equality Program (2021-2026) is implemented to achieve four interventions, including establishing and developing childcare centers; increasing investment in water supply, electricity, and environmentally friendly renewable energy; enhancing decent work by promoting and formalizing women's businesses; and improving access to and use of affordable and suitable technology to increase women's capacity to produce goods competitive in domestic and international markets.
