Sunny skies, big smiles, and flourishing businesses – that’s what greeted African Road VICOBA trainer David Clemy on his recent trip to Tanzania.
Last year, 63 women and girls in Tanzania participated in VICOBA small business training. The participants are members of New Hope for Girls, a refuge for girls escaping indentured servitude – a form of modern slavery – and Elimika Women’s Cooperative, a group of neighboring women who act as supporters and “aunties” of the girls.
VICOBA participants learned how to set goals to achieve life dreams and develop business ideas. They also learned about the practical side of business, including acquiring capital, record keeping, and making a profit.
Sarah* graduates from VICOBA training.
Sarah*, a member of New Hope for Girls says, “Our freedom from abuse and sexual discrimination depends largely on our ability to pursue our dreams and work to realize them into existence. We are so grateful to African Road for helping us to stand on our own two feet.”
VICOBA training has helped Elimika women, who are mostly single mothers, to have sustainable income-generating projects that help them to pay for day-to-day life expenses. The Elimika group owns a small local restaurant that serves a surrounding community with food and drinks. This project generates income for the group which goes into a group savings pool. Members can then borrow money to start and run their own individual income-generating activities.
Joyce*, a leader of Elimika women’s cooperative.
Joyce* says, “We are now able to have three meals a day like other people. We can send our children to school. We feel empowered to run our daily lives and live a happy life. Many thanks to African Road for paving the way to a brighter future.”
Trainer Consoler Eliya has observed a “ripple effect” of the training on the greater community, too. She says, “the surrounding community has observed a shift for the Elimika women from being dependent and marginalized to empowered and happy mothers. Elimika has literally become ‘the talk of the town’ because of the way this group is transforming women’s lives.” In this way, VICOBA has inspired many with its model of entrepreneurship and “mindset shift”.
Together, the women of Elimika and New Hope for Girls have saved over $4000 – an incredible feat!
*Names changed to protect the speakers’ identities.