Meet Women Making History!
March is celebrated as "Women's History Month". We celebrate women who change and make history.
Empowering impoverished women allows them to make history through employment opportunities, education and skills training, leadership roles, and improved working conditions. The Women's Business Group community and support network provides mutual aid and solidarity.
Their families' well-being is enhanced, and their lives are improving.
A History Ready for Change Before the Industrial Revolution, manual labor was the primary means of economic productivity.
Prior to the Women's Business Group Program, many women in the groups struggled to provide for their families through manual labor, such as stone crushing to make gravel.
Educational Skills, Training, & Solidarity
Monthly seminars and practical on-site skill sessions tailored to the women's needs, enhance knowledge and abilities to advance. Our 80 businesswomen include 13 new members. Twelve elderly ladies are now too old to work. The business groups involve them socially, offer financial support, and offer light work options.
Highlighting 4 of our 16 Women's Business Groups
Poultry Farmers For egg and poultry sales,12 women oversee 2 incubations per year, with 300 eggs per hatch. Their hens produce 60 eggs/day, 40% of which are purchased by Health & Hope for the Tumaini Tutor Nutrition Program. Sales of 2-3 day-old chicks have been added for an additional revenue stream. The women attend monthly veterinary seminars and are currently saving for additional chicken coops.
"Poultry has opened my eyes. Now I walk tall. Before the Group, I had a few chicks at home. Our group has enclosed chicken shelters and an egg incubator to increase hatch rates. Vaccines, vitamins, nutritious feed, and education seminars increase our business." Mama Anna Makli
Fish Vendors Donor support helped 18 women of this group to add an ice box onto a dedicated fishing boat. This allows the boat to stay out longer, catching larger fish in deeper waters and opening a new market. Fish are taken directly from the boat to the airport for prompt transport and sales in Dar es Salaam, resulting in a 19% increase in profit. They look forward to the addition of a second boat ice-box.
"This is a good time in the history of our business. We are living our dream. We serve our customers beautiful, fresh fish. Our sales have increased. We are able to employ honest men to help us. We are happy and proud mamas!" Mama Pili Maziku
Vegetable Farmers Business revenue allowed our 20 farmers to increase their land to 4 rented plots totaling 395 acres, and employ three male laborers. Donor support provided the huge benefit of a 2nd irrigation pump. Women pump water from the lake to irrigate fields and reverse pump from fields to the lake during high rains, protecting fertilized crops. All land work is still done manually by hand and hoe. A ground tilling machine is needed.
"I love farming. You saved us with land, fertilizers, and chemical sprayers. Irrigation pumps support us in dry and very wet seasons. Without tools, you cannot progress. Now we are queen farmers here. We take many crops to markets and have surplus food for our families. Our lives are better. We can help our families and improve our houses. Thank you!" Mama Esther Charles
Grains & Cereals Donor support provided 2 table sieves to replace time-consuming hand/basket sieving, and plastic storage tubs to prevent spoilage. As a result, via increased production/decreased waste, profits increased by 8%.
"We have all been through difficult times, and now we see good fruits. With the help of tools and capital, we have reached a milestone. Through this business, we can support ourselves, increase our savings, and improve our lives. It is easy for us; we love it! Thank you." Mama Regina Kin
Congratulations to Women Who Make History!
