Municipal Councils in Tanzania allocate 10% of its revenue collections to improve citizen livelihood economically. These funds are provided as a loan with no interest to groups of women, youth, and people with disabilities. Of those funds (10%), 4% is for allocated for youth.
#Testimonials
Mariam Mohamed – Youth Entrepreneurship Group Nzuguni, Dodoma
“I belong to a youth entrepreneurship group that benefit from the 4% youth funds from the Municipal Council. This group, consisting of 4 women and 9 men, manufacture standardized small charcoal stoves.
The process of applying for the loan began as we went to introduce ourselves to our county leadership. Meeting the county chairman, he referred us to the executive officer who then informed us that we needed to register the group at the Municipality office. Thereafter, we were educated about the 4% youth loan.
As a group, we agreed to apply for a loan of tshs 1 million. However, after the municipality inspected our group and project, we received an additional tshs 3 million – totaling the loan to tshs 4 million. The reason this loan was increased was that the funding we requested was not sufficient to implement our desired project.
Our goal is to improve our livelihood status by creating projects that will help them become independent. We decided to do this due to the unemployment situation youth face for not having the privilege of going to school or after graduation for those who have had the privilege of going to school.
Because His Excellency Minister of Industry and Trade insists on starting up of industries in the country, my colleagues and I are striving to meet this request through hard work and perseverance.”
Joel Jackson – Vijana Kwanza Group Usangara, Mwanza
“Our group was founded in 2015 and started with only welding crafts. However, in 2016 we, through UNA Tanzania, expanded our scope and grew in number. This meant that we were now able to weld aluminum thus enabling us to manufacture aluminum windows, doors – basically, everything involving aluminum.
We requested for a loan of tshs 10 million, and after fulfilling all the requirements, it was granted. Therefore, I would like for all young people to know that the government is there to help us improve our livelihood. And my advice would be to make use of this opportunity, whether you are literate or illiterate.”
Rethinking Project Implementation with clusters amidst the COVID-19 outbreak
On the 6th of April, UNA Tanzania in collaboration with the Foundation of Civil Society held an emergency meeting with cluster organizations to rethink project implementation methods amidst the coronavirus pandemic and the general elections season.
Clusters were informed about the ongoing ban of social gatherings due to the status of the coronavirus infection rates and were educated on the transmission and prevention methods. Furthermore, this meeting provided clusters with an opportunity to discuss project implementation methods that will erase the assumption that illegal campaigns are being carried out and entice more adolescents to participate in development projects.
