Dar entrepreneurs pocket 17m/- capital for winning the Wazo Bora Pitch contest

DAR ES SALAAM: THREE entrepreneurs with disabilities have won a total of 17m/- in seed capital after emerging as winners of the Wazo Bora Pitch Competition held in Dar es Salaam.

The competition brought together 15 entrepreneurs who had undergone specialised training aimed at improving business systems, financial management, and investment readiness.

The initiative is implemented by Challenges Worldwide Tanzania with funding from Standard Chartered Bank Tanzania through the RISE/E programme of the Standard Chartered Foundation. The programme focuses on empowering entrepreneurs to grow their businesses while promoting an inclusive economy.

The three-year programme, valued at 2.2bn/- and launched in 2024, aims to directly support 340 small businesses and create 478 new jobs across the country, with a special focus on women, youth and people with disabilities.

The Wazo Bora Pitch Competition began in December 2025 after Standard Chartered Bank Tanzania provided a grant of 11,500 US dollars to Challenges Worldwide Tanzania to support entrepreneurship and inclusive economic growth.

After the application period closed, 15 participants were selected to attend specialised training designed to strengthen their business capacity.

At the end of the training, seven finalists advanced to the final stage where they presented their business ideas before judges during the closing event in Dar es Salaam.

In the final results, Ng’oga Kaswahili emerged as the overall winner and received 10m/- as business capital.

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Mohamed Muhidini took second place and won 4m/-, while Nipaeli Mtana, who finished third, received 3m/-.

Speaking to the Daily News during the award ceremony, the Chief Executive Officer of Standard Chartered Bank Tanzania, George Binde, said the support provided in December last year has already started to show positive results by enabling entrepreneurs to strengthen their businesses.

He noted that participants in the programme have demonstrated significant progress in running their businesses through innovation, determination and resilience in developing their business ideas.

“The awarded 17M/- capital will help expand businesses, create employment opportunities and stimulate market growth for the winning enterprises,” said Binde.

The guest of honour, Special Seats Member of Parliament representing people with disabilities, Yumna Mmanga, commended the initiative, saying it promotes inclusive economic participation for women, youth and people with disabilities.

She emphasised that talent and creativity do not discriminate based on gender or disability, highlighting the need to continue creating enabling environments that allow these groups to access equal opportunities to develop their business ideas.

Mmanga added that such efforts align with the vision of the President of Tanzania, Samia Suluhu Hassan, to strengthen inclusive economic empowerment for citizens.

Meanwhile, the Executive Director of Youth with Disability Organisation (YOWDO), Rajabu Mpilimpili, said they are proud to be part of the initiative in collaboration with Challenges Worldwide Tanzania and Standard Chartered Bank Tanzania in empowering people with disabilities to engage in self-employment through innovative business ideas.

He said the Wazo Bora competition has become an important platform for showcasing innovation and demonstrating the ability of people with disabilities to actively contribute to social and economic transformation in Tanzania.

“This competition clearly shows that people with disabilities have great potential to become innovators and key contributors to Tanzania’s economic development,” he said.