Tanzania

Empowering Women in the Green Economy

The Investing in Young Businesses in Africa – Women Entrepreneurship for Africa (IYBA WE4A) initiative supports women entrepreneurs in Tanzania through a fully integrated pathway that combines business acceleration, capacity strengthening, and improved access to finance. It equips women-led businesses with the skills, networks, and financial opportunities needed to grow in a green and inclusive economy.

Context

Tanzania’s green transition—framed by Vision 2025 and the Five-Year Development Plan III (2021–2026)—is creating new opportunities in renewable energy, agro-processing, circular economy, waste management and more. Yet many women entrepreneurs still face significant obstacles, including limited access to training, markets, technology, and finance. IYBA WE4A Tanzania addresses these gaps by offering coordinated support across the full entrepreneurial journey.

How the Initiative Works in Tanzania

The entrepreneurship journey begins with the Tony Elumelu Foundation, which provides early-stage incubation through entrepreneurship training, mentoring, and seed capital. This initial support helps women validate their business ideas, strengthen leadership skills, and build the foundations required for sustainable growth.

Following this, the IYBA WE4A project, implemented by GIZ, and in partnership with the Tanzania Women Chamber of Commerce (TWCC), delivers targeted capacity strengthening. This work equips women with gender-responsive and climate-smart business development services, mentorship, and technical support relevant to green value chains. The programme also helps entrepreneurs expand their market presence, engage in trade fairs, comply with standards, and improve business competitiveness.

For women-led enterprises preparing to scale, Goodwell Investments and Melanin Capital support the final step in the journey by improving access to finance. They offer investment readiness coaching, help enterprises strengthen their financial models, and link entrepreneurs with investors, banks, and catalytic funding. This ensures that promising businesses have pathways to capital and long-term growth.

Our Goal

IYBA WE4A aims to empower 300 women entrepreneurs in Tanzania by building their business capabilities, accelerating green innovation, and connecting them with the financial opportunities needed for sustainable expansion.

Who We Support

The programme focuses on women-led micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises across key green sectors such as agro-processing, renewable energy, waste management, eco-tourism, and aquaculture. It also prioritizes inclusion by engaging and supporting Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) within entrepreneurial activities.

Our Approach in Tanzania

The initiative is designed around a coordinated, three-stage support pathway delivered by TEF, GIZ, and Goodwell/Melanin Capital. At the early stage, entrepreneurs receive foundational business training and seed support from TEF. They then transition into GIZ’s tailored capacity-building programme, which strengthens their technical, business, and climate-smart practices while connecting them with markets and regulatory institutions. Finally, enterprises demonstrating high potential move into the investment-readiness phase with Goodwell and Melanin Capital, where they receive guidance on accessing capital and scaling sustainably.

Through this continuum, women entrepreneurs receive the right support at the right time — from early validation to growth financing.

Sustainability & Impact

By integrating gender-responsive and climate-smart entrepreneurship practices within TWCC and local enterprise support organizations, IYBA WE4A Tanzania aims to create lasting change. Expected results include:

• Greater access to finance and markets for women-led businesses
• Growth of climate-friendly and sustainable enterprises
• Increased employment opportunities for women and youth
• A stronger, more inclusive entrepreneurship ecosystem in Tanzania

Driving Tanzania’s Green Transformation

IYBA WE4A is equipping Tanzanian women with the knowledge, networks, and capital they need to lead the country’s green transition and build a more inclusive and sustainable economic future.