Tanzania – Thirty-one Mbeya women entrepreneurs today completed 13 weeks of specialized business and entrepreneurship training funded by the US government through its Academy of Women Entrepreneurs (AWE) program.
During the graduation ceremony, which was attended by many distinguished guests, including Vice Chancellor of the Mbeya University of Science and Technology (MUST) Prof. Aloyce Mvuma, Speaker of the Tanzanian National Assembly Dr. Tulia Ackson, Mbeya District Commissioner Dr. Rashid Mohammed Chuachua, and others, the women were commended and encouraged to continue their income-generating activities.
AWE is a global initiative of the US government that seeks to promote women’s economic empowerment with the goal of helping 50 million women worldwide reach their economic potential.
AWE is committed to giving women the knowledge, networks and access they need to turn their ideas into reality.
Speaking on behalf of the US embassy to the graduates during the ceremony, Ambassador Donald Wright described the impact of the training that AWE provides.
“The thirteen weeks of training they received as part of this program gave them the practical skills to build sustainable businesses and a network of like-minded entrepreneurs and mentors in the United States,” he said.
He continued by saying that the quickest way to transform society is to economically empower women.
“Women have a strong multiplier effect on the wider community because when women are successful, they are more likely to invest their earnings back into their families and their communities, paying for things like their children’s education and health care. The economic benefits of their achievements support future generations. Your creativity is already having an impact on the Tanzanian society and economy,” he said.
The Mbeya cohort is the sixth group of women to participate in AWE.
The first group of 20 women graduated on September 9, 2019 in Dar es Salaam. The second group of 25 female entrepreneurs from Iringa completed their program on December 16, 2020. The third group of 17 female entrepreneurs from Zanzibar graduated on June 28, 2021.
The fourth group of 32 female entrepreneurs from Mwanza graduated on November 8, 2021 and the fifth group of 31 entrepreneurs from Dodoma graduated on June 6, 2022.
Through a partnership with the US African Development Foundation (USADF), entrepreneurs participating in the AWE program are eligible for additional USADF seed funds ranging up to $25,000 to expand their businesses.
