Tanzania widens women’s access to capital and loans in effort to expand productive enterprises
ARUSHA: THE Tanzanian government has continued to create an enabling environment for women to participate fully in economic activities through various empowerment programmes, including access to capital and loans to establish and expand productive enterprises.
Deputy Minister for Community Development, Gender, Women and Special Groups, Eng. Maryprisca Mahundi, made the remarks while opening a Business and Economic Management Conference organised by the One Hundred Thousand Women Network in Arusha.
Eng. Mahundi stressed the importance of women entrepreneurs acquiring the skills needed to manage their businesses effectively so they can grow, withstand challenges and remain sustainable.
She said economic empowerment should not be limited to access to capital, but should also be accompanied by knowledge of financial management, record-keeping, business planning, marketing and the use of technology.
“The Sixth-Phase Government, under the leadership of President of the United Republic of Tanzania Dr Samia Suluhu Hassan, continues to create an enabling environment for women to fully participate in economic activities and benefit from opportunities arising from economic growth through various empowerment programmes,” she said.
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She added that under the 10 per cent lending scheme funded from councils’ own-source revenue, four per cent is allocated to women to enable them to establish and expand economic activities.
The Deputy Minister also urged women to use digital technologies to promote their products, communicate with customers, make payments and explore new markets.
She said Tanzanian women should move beyond being merely users of technology and instead become innovators, producers and active participants in the digital economy.
Meanwhile, the Patron and Acting Chief Executive Officer of the One Hundred Thousand Women Network Tanzania, Tano Mwera, said the establishment of the network aims to equip women with various skills and knowledge to support them in their economic activities.
