Youth transform 10pc loan into enterprise

KILIMANJARO: A YOUTH group in Moshi Municipality has established an online content creation business worth 77.14m/- with support from the Local Government Authority (LGA) 10 per cent loan scheme, creating employment opportunities and demonstrating the potential of government youth empowerment programmes.

The Big Five Enterprises youth group received 45.5m/- from the Moshi Municipal Council through the LGA loan scheme and contributed 31.64m/- to establish the project.

Speaking during a visit by the 2026 Uhuru Torch race in Moshi, one of the group’s members, Kennedy Rowland, said the project has already started operations after acquiring the necessary equipment.

“Our group received 45.5m/- from the Moshi Municipal Council as part of the council’s 10 per cent LGA loan scheme, while we contributed 31.64m/- towards the implementation of the project,” he said.

Rowland said the group has purchased four cameras, three stand covers, five special lights, two computers and other equipment required to operate the online content creation business.

“We would like to express our sincere gratitude to the government under President Samia Suluhu Hassan for giving us the opportunity to obtain a loan which has helped us greatly to reach where we are now. We are very happy to have this opportunity to serve our nation on a self-reliant basis and also create jobs for our fellow Tanzanians,” he said.

The leader of the 2026 Uhuru Torch race, Wazo Mwang’onda, commended the group for establishing the business, saying it demonstrates how government empowerment programmes can improve the livelihoods of young people.

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“This group is a testament to the government’s efforts to empower young people through the LGA loan scheme because the youth who established this project have secured employment and also created employment opportunities for others,” he said.

He said the government has continued to strengthen programmes aimed at improving the welfare of young people, including reforms to the LGA loan scheme and the establishment of a ministry responsible for youth affairs.

Mr Mwang’onda said the LGA loan scheme requires district, municipal and city councils to allocate 10 per cent of their local revenues to special groups, with four per cent reserved for women, four per cent for youth and two per cent for persons with disabilities.

“This opportunity is very important because it enables young people to improve their livelihoods and participate actively in national development,” he said. Mr Mwang’onda added that the government has also allocated 200bn/- under a concessional financing programme aimed at empowering youth and women, including young entrepreneurs.