Global Peace Foundation Tanzania incubated 54 Young CEO through Ujasiliamali Hub

By Dr Fatma Waziri, Dar es salaam

 Youth unemployment in Tanzania is most structural and on the demand side of the labor market. Hence entrepreneurship, including youth entrepreneurship, can contribute to the solution. 

 If equipped with the right skills, mentors, social networks, technology and finance young entrepreneurs could drive the country’s economic growth and even regional to global. 

Entrepreneurship programs offer the youth a wide range to learn how academic skills connect to real business opportunities and hopes for success. For the past three years, Global Peace Foundation Tanzania has been providing training on entrepreneurship among youth to enable them with proper business management skills known as Ujasiliamali Hub.

The project's beneficiaries are Tanzanian Youth who are between 18 years to 35, and started their business or have not yet but have an idea of a business they want to do. Through Ujasilimali Hub youth learn from scratch and in the end, they start or continue doing their business in a more professional and systematic way. The cohort 54 youth have benefited from the training which began last year in November. 

They are currently undertaking mentoring and coaching from experienced business experts from Brazil. "The beneficiaries are currently undergoing mentorship for 90 days and after that, they will be well equipped to go on the ground and put into practice what they have learned in order to scale up their businesses," said Benson Daud, project officer.

One of the Beneficiary holding the participation certificate
 

He further pointed out that at first, they received over 100 applications from youth who successfully joined the program and complete the course 54 of them were absorbed. According to him, some of the imparted skills imparted to the trainees include my dream, business, products, advertising, research, profile, price, personal development, ideas, brand, location, and action plan, whereby the results have already shown the students are taking the knowledge in practice. Edson Gabriel (28) from Kigoma, was among the 54 students who attended the online training, he has this to say; 

“ I started to operate my business two years ago, but I was operating without any formalities, however after attending Ujasiliamali Hub online training, I have registered my business as one of the training assignments, I am now the CEO of KIBONDO CROPS AND PROCESSOR company, and my business has grown now. 

 I can now confidently buy crops from farmers and sell them to upcountry regions here in Tanzania and cross borders within East Africa Countries like Rwanda, Kenya, and DRC” said Edson Fatma Wambura (24) one of the beneficiaries thanked the Brazil experts for the quality support and motivation they are giving them, “We are currently being mentored by Madam Priscilla and coached by Mr Guilheme from Brazil for 90 days, so far my confidence in business has been boosted a lot. I have started producing liquid soaps for household use. 

My goal is, at the end of this year I should be able to own a small company and employ other people as my contribution to reducing the unemployment rate of my fellow youth”

 Speaking at a certificate handling ceremony for the 54 beneficiaries held in Dar es Salaam at the Global Peace Foundation Tanzania offices, Senior Program Manager Dr. Fatma Waziri said various interventions are being done to acquire enough funds to support them."We are talking with different business stakeholders in the country for the sake of making a bridge to connect these learners so that they can have immediate results once they complete their studies," she said. 

 In the same token, GPF  Tanzania Country Director Martha Nghambi reiterated that they will continue to offer entrepreneurship training each year in order to reach many youths and give them basic business concepts. "For many years, we have been conducting similar training targeting widows, disabled women and youths by providing practical and theory training sessions," Nghambi remarked. 

 On her part, one of the beneficiaries of the initiative Happiness Minga revealed that they have grasped many important things which will help them to run their businesses at ease. "Previously, we used to run my business without adhering to fundamental principles but now, we have learned how to advertise our products, brand, seek new customers, and make good business planning," she said. 

 The Dar es Salaam Youth Regional Officer, Mr. Zephaniah Masalid, who was the guest of honor encouraged the youth to continue following the instructions and the coaching they are receiving because currently, the Government has created a friendly online system for any youth group can apply for funds from the councils and municipals 10% of their revenue known as 4: 4: 2. “ I am congratulating you for this achievement, as for now there is an online system for youth fund application, use this opportunity to apply for a soft loan. You will be considered without biases”

The Global Peace Foundation Tanzania (GPF) have been empowering youth since 2015.