Mategemeo Women Association Expanding the Local Fruit & Vegetable Industry

Rockflower has agreed to fund Mategemeo Women Association to purchase 3 fruit blenders to make juice and two solar dehydrators to preserve vegetables for the dry season. The organization has continued to actively engage local and global stakeholders and work together to support vulnerable women and girls who need support to uplift their lives.

Over the past few years, Mategemeo has worked to create a Revolving Loan Scheme to fund women owned small businesses in the region. The fund has been highly successful and they have been able to provide business training to 120 successful, women owned businesses and micro-loans to more than 200. The fund continues to grow alongside the businesses that it funds and the local economy.

In a recent meeting, local fruit and vegetable vendors requested supplies to improve their offerings. Fruits and vegetables are abundant in the market and their value is relatively low in their raw form. However, processed fruit and vegetable products like juices and dried products are much less common and therefore more valuable. The vendors see an opportunity to increase their profit, provide products that aren’t currently available locally and decrease food waste with a few additional tools.

The members of Mategemeo have been able to pool their own resources to partially fund the project and Rockflower has agreed to fund the remainder. Collaborating to bring new products to the market, eliminate food waste and create sustainable business opportunities for women is a true example of the Currency of Mind in action.

Mategemeo Women Association Partners with Rockflower for Revolving Loan Scheme Project

Mategemeo Women Association, a non-governmental organization based in Tanzania, will be partnering with Rockflower once again for the creation of a Revolving Loan Scheme in order to help local women break the cycle of poverty and maintain financial security in the event of an emergency. The organization has previously partnered with Rockflower to remediate their community’s acute water problem by creating a number of shallow wells that provided clean drinking water to over 300 households. 

The Revolving Loan Scheme Project will work with twenty women who wish to start or boost their micro-projects in order to generate consistent  income and break the cycle of poverty. Once the borrowers receive their funds, they will pay back their loans with 2% interest over the course of six months, which will allow the organization to cycle the money to other women looking to start small businesses. 

Mategemeo Women Association will also provide free training in small business management, bookkeeping, calculating revenue, marketing and leadership which will allow them to successfully manage their businesses and finances. Some of the existing businesses in the program include the management of a poultry farm, and the sale of products like groceries, second hand clothing, shoes, stationery, and cosmetics.

Additionally, the organization will ask each of the women to contribute 15% of their net monthly income to an emergency welfare fund, which will be used to help members in the event of an emergency. This mutual aid fund will provide peace of mind to the beneficiaries, as they begin their businesses and face the uncertainties of maintaining financial stability and independence. 

This project will allow women who have previously had little access to capital, to start or scale micro-projects through a sustainable fund that will grow over time and reach more and more community members. The business training and emergency fund created by Mategemeo Women Association will support the beneficiaries as they navigate owning a business and will allow for greater financial security and stability while contributing to breaking the cycle of poverty in Tanzania. 

Mategemeo Women Association

Tanzania

Schools and borders are closed. However, Tanzanian President John Magufali has been criticized for encouraging the public to attend places of worship. President Magufali has stated that Dar es Salaam will never be in lockdown.

Concerns, Challenges and Adaptation Measures

Mategemeo Women Association has taken the threat of the coronavirus very seriously and followed WHO guidelines for social distancing. In addition to providing sanitation equipment, they are adjusting their programming to fit within this new “normal”. Spreading correct information on preventative measures has been done through mass text messaging and megaphones. Additionally, Mategemeo Women Association has created Online Girls’ Clubs, social distancing communication networks, and distancing learning to ensure that girls do not feel isolated during this time and have the support networks they need. These will cover life skills, sexual education, personal well-being and provide motivation for learning until school begins again.

Emergency Fund

Mategemeo Women Association received assistance from our Emergency Fund two ways. The first was through a donation made by Rockflower for the production of reusable face masks by WomenChoice Industries. 900 masks were produced, so far over 700 have been distributed. In addition to the face masks, Mategemeo Women Association received funds to assist families in purchasing food, hand sanitizer, soap, and essential medicines.

Water Security in Arusha

The Mategemeo Women Association recently completed their Shallow Wells for Water Security project.

The project included the construction of 4 shallow wells and 2 water kiosks resulting in:

• 300 households now have access to clean and reliable water

• Employment opportunities for the locals have been created through supplying and selling water from the two kiosks

• Some of the administrative costs of Mategemeo Women Association have been covered by the profits obtained at the kiosks

• Increase in children’s school enrollment and women’s farming activities (significantly contributing to households’ food security)

• Improvement of households’ hygiene and sanitation standards

While the project has had many successes, they were not without challenges. The local population has grown resulting in more pressure on water resources. While there have been improvements in hygiene and sanitation due to the access of clean water, some are still not practicing proper standards.

These issues will be solved by searching for more funding to continue the project in more areas, organizing hygiene and sanitation training sessions for community members, and prepare simplified health information materials to disseminate to locals.

Rockflower Partnership to Expand Water Supply for Women Farmers in Tanzania

Rockflower is pleased to announce a new partnership with the Mategemeo Women's Association, a non governmental organization in Tanzania promoting socio-economic development, human rights and inclusion by providing training and micro credit for women to establish their own businesses.

Rockflower's partnership with the Mategemeo Women's Association will support the sinking of four communal, shallow wells and the establishment of 2 water selling kiosks.

Find out more about the Shallow Wells for Water Security in Arusha project.