Skills program offers Kigoma girls new paths to employment
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In Kigoma, Tanzania, the Wezesha Binti program is helping girls and young women aged 14 to 29 who have left or struggled in school to gain skills and find employment or start businesses.
Historically, completing school in Tanzania hasn’t always led to economic independence for girls, due to issues like poverty, early marriage, and societal norms. Recognizing this, Wezesha Binti focuses on what happens after formal education, working with the private sector to ensure training programs match labor market needs.
The five-year, €25 million program, funded by the Kingdom of Belgium and run by Enabel, operates in five districts of the Kigoma region. It prioritizes understanding what skills employers actually need, involving them in curriculum development instead of training people for jobs that don’t exist. Project manager Christine Rwankote emphasizes the need for trainers to also gain experience in industry, keeping up with changing technologies.
Beyond job training, the program also supports entrepreneurship by helping young women develop business ideas and access financing, including a €300,000 subsidy fund. Wezesha Binti also recognizes and certifies the skills of workers who learned on the job, offering opportunities for advancement, and provides essential support services like childcare and safe spaces to ensure girls can continue their training.
Advocates note the program is shifting perceptions of girls in the Kigoma region, moving away from seeing them solely as domestic workers and toward recognizing their potential as skilled professionals and entrepreneurs.
