TANZANIA SACCOS for Women Entrepreneurs (TASWE) has asked the government and other stakeholders to support their productive activities, access knowledge and expand the customer base for inclusive development.
“We are asking stakeholders, mostly the government, to support our efforts in participating in various local and foreign trade exhibitions to acquire knowledge and create business networks to lift us and others from poverty by taking an active part in the national economic development,” said MS Anna Matinde, the Chairman of TASWE.
MS Matinde was speaking at the Dar es Salaam International Trade Fair (DITF), where 80 women entrepreneurs from her network were sponsored to attend, display their products. She said such an opportunity has acted as an eye-opener for women to connect with other producers, access markets and attend business meetings.
TASWE chairperson said that the government should join other development partners in intensifying such efforts. She said women apart from taking most of the population, were still facing several setbacks when it comes to trade, a move which if addressed clearly, a bigger number of Tanzanians will be lifted from abject poverty.
According to her, the DIITF participation was supported by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development and realized by the German international cooperation (GIZ).
“Women have learnt and networked a lot by participating at the ongoing 45th DITF. Also, they accessed the market and are ready to work on outstanding challenges limiting them from growth. We call for the government to take part and insist on such initiatives which are life-changing,” she highlighted.
Ms Matinde said further that most of the women who attended the trade fair were not conversant with processes like formalising their business and registering, but such notions have changed and some have already started the process and they have met several authorities and leant what needs be done for them to grow.
They said that other benefits from such a fair include learning on the importance and ways of marketing and selling their products using online platforms which support marketing products abroad at relatively low prices.
“We are grateful to GIZ and we call for other women to come and learn from us as doors were open even after DITF is over,” said the Chairperson of the 680 women members from all over Tanzania.