01 Sep 2023
Project Launch: Enhancing Protection for Conflict-affected C…
In rural contexts, the path to creating income-generating activities is often accompanied with challenges, particularly for women and youth.
The hurdles they face include a lack of skills, startup capital, and access to financial education, business, and entrepreneurship know-how. Anita, however, refused to be deterred by these barriers.
"In 2018, I decided to pursue my dream of having a reliable source of income by learning tailoring from my friend, Esther Mathias, renowned as the village's finest tailor," Anita begins her story.
She underwent rigorous training in tailoring-related skills, but she faced a significant obstacle—lack of capital to purchase her own sewing machine.
In 2019, Anita joined the Tusaidiane women saving group as advised by a colleague. Comprising 30 women, the group operates under the Kigoma Joint Programme, which is supported by the Danish Refugee Council (DRC) through United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) funding.
She began saving diligently, making weekly contributions of 2,000 TZS (0.85 USD) for shares and 500 TZS (0.21 USD) for social funds.
In 2020, she harvested and sold crops worth 100,000 TZS (42.74 USD). Thereafter, she took a bold step and borrowed 200,000 TZS (85.49 USD) from the savings group to supplement her income and pursue her entrepreneurial dreams. With this capital infusion and the proceeds from her crop sales, Anita purchased a sewing machine.
Before the group’s share-out session in September 2020, Anita ensured that she diligently repayed her loans. Her tailoring business began to flourish, yielding daily profits of 5,000 TZS (2.14 USD). These earnings played a pivotal role in supporting her family's diverse needs, from school fees to healthcare and ensuring they had enough food.