Kikwete foundation empowers young women leaders

DAR ES SALAAM: THE newly launched Young Women Leaders Mentorship Programme, built around Knowledge, Inspiration, Network, Action, Resilience and Accountability (KINARA), has been hailed as solution to advance gender equity in leadership across Tanzania.

This programme seeks to accelerate national development by equipping young women with the skills and support to assume leadership roles, which will significantly play a transformative role in advancing gender equity in leadership.

Initiated by the Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete Foundation (JMKF) in partnership with the Impact Leadership Academy (ILA), the programme targets Tanzanian women aged 25 to 35, who are early in their careers, to nurture them into strong, innovative and exemplary leaders.

Speaking at the launch in Dar es Salaam yesterday, Ambassador Mwanaidi Maajar, Chair of the University of Dar es Salaam Council said it was crucial to cultivate leadership skills early. She stressed the need to equip the next generation of female leaders with the confidence and tools required to excel across various sectors.

“Through mentorship and personal development, KINARA empowers young women to become visionary leaders, laying a strong foundation for inclusive leadership in Tanzania’s future,” Amb Maajar said.

As a trustee of the Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete Foundation (JMKF), she noted that women own more than half of micro, small and medium enterprises in Tanzania but are faced with myriads of challenges including lack of access to capital. She said the programme aims to provide mentorship and resources to help women overcome barriers, including limited access to capital.

“By building young women’s leadership capacity, we are investing in sustainable progress because empowered women empower nations,” she added.

Amb Maajar urged participants to embrace the opportunity, challenge themselves and actively contribute to making the programme impactful and transformative.

CEO of JMKF, Ms Vanessa Anyoti cited research showing that women hold less than 30 per cent of formal leadership roles in Tanzania and across Africa. She stressed the need for initiatives like KINARA to increase young women’s participation and success in leadership.

In its first phase, the programme will support 20 young women, providing knowledge and empowerment to help them become visionary leaders who positively impact their communities and workplaces.

Ms Anyoti expressed optimism that KINARA will produce a new generation of creative, visionary and united women leaders dedicated to inclusive development in Tanzania and across Africa.

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“KINARA stands for Knowledge, Inspiration, Network, Action, Resilience and Accountability. Its mission is to equip participants with leadership skills, motivation, professional networks, courage and accountability,” she explained.

The two-year programme combines online modules with in-person sessions and its curriculum was co-created by over 30 women from diverse sectors to address the real challenges and opportunities women face on their leadership journeys.