Programme 10 of 10
Savings groups, entrepreneurship training and leadership platforms that put young people and women in charge of their own futures.
Overview
Young people and women are often the last to access capital, training or a seat at the decision-making table — even though they carry much of the work that keeps households and communities running. Our Youth & Women Empowerment programme builds savings groups, entrepreneurship training and leadership platforms that put economic power and voice directly into their hands.
We form and train VICOBA-style savings groups, run business-skills workshops, connect members to small seed capital, and support girls' school retention and anti-gender-based-violence advocacy alongside economic work — because empowerment has to address both the wallet and the wider environment a woman or young person lives in.
Why it matters
have been formed and trained in savings and entrepreneurship since the programme launched.
Updates
Tanzania has expanded government funding for women and youth entrepreneurship substantially over the past year — these are the live schemes our savings groups plug into.
Ministry of Community Development, Gender, Women and Special Groups
Affordable loans of up to TZS 250 million are available to registered women's groups, accessed through Community Development Officers, alongside entrepreneurship and business-management training via regional forums.
President's Office for Youth Development
Concessional loans for young entrepreneurs are disbursed after completing required business and financial-literacy training — recent rounds have prioritised young women in regions including Arusha and Pwani.
PMO-RALG
Every council reserves a share of its own-source revenue specifically as loans for women, youth and people with disabilities — our savings groups help members prepare the paperwork to apply.
Women Fund Tanzania
Tanzania's first women's-rights fund makes grants that strengthen women-led groups and movements, a complementary route for savings groups that grow into formal community organisations.
Programmes, funding amounts and application windows change — we do our best to keep this list current, but always confirm details on the official website before applying.
Our process
Women and youth form savings groups of 15–30 members, or join an existing one nearby.
Workshops cover business basics, financial literacy, and rights awareness including protection from gender-based violence.
Groups build internal savings and can access small seed grants or loans to start or grow a business.
Established members mentor new groups, extending the programme's reach through peer leadership.
In detail
Community-based savings and loan groups that build financial independence one contribution at a time.
Community dialogues and school-based clubs that keep girls safe, informed and enrolled.
Business-skills workshops and start-up support that turn youth energy into sustainable income.
Impact so far
Common questions
Any woman or young person in a partner community can join an existing group or request support to form a new one.
Groups build their own internal loan fund through savings; the Foundation supports this with training and, where available, small seed grants.
Economic pressure at home is a leading cause of girls dropping out, so strengthening household income directly supports school retention alongside our advocacy work.
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