CITI Foundation and international nonprofit TechnoServe yesterday launched the sixth phase of the Pan-African Youth Entrepreneurship Development (PAYED-6) program, a partnership to support the growth of micro-retailers in Tanzania, Kenya, Nigeria, and Côte d’Ivoire.
Pan-African Youth Entrepreneur Development Program (PAYED-6) will help micro-retailers in Kenya, Tanzania, Nigeria, and Côte d’Ivoire increase their revenues while creating a more inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystem
Over the next 12 months, the program will help 1,600 entrepreneurial young micro-retailers acquire the skills and connections they need to grow their businesses.
Micro enterprises continue to be a backbone for the economies of Africa, with micro-retailers taking on an increasingly important role in ensuring access to critical goods like food, medicine, and hygiene products in their communities.
The PAYED 6 program will support the 1,600 youth micro-retailers with training in business, financial management, marketing, inventory management, and customer-service skills.
The program will implement fully digital training for all participants, building upon the digital tools that have been tried and tested in the previous phases and further enhancing their effectiveness.
Speaking at the launch of the program in Dar-es-Salaam yesterday, Citi Tanzania CEO Geofrey Mchangila said the initiative is aligned to Citi’s values of creating sustainability and enabling economic progress.
He said Citi employees in Tanzania will continue to volunteer in the program by providing training on business skills.
“The program will recruit entrepreneurial youth in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania; Nairobi, Kenya; Port Harcourt, Nigeria; and Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire;
This sixth phase of the PAYED program will target a number of sectors within micro-retail, including fast-moving consumer goods, cosmetics, clothes, and phone shops,” he said.
Citi’s Europe Middle East and Africa Head, David Livingstone, said half the participants will be women, and five percent of program participants will be persons with disabilities, helping to create a more inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystem.
‘I commend the team on this partnership that will create a platform where micro retailers will have a peer-to-peer learning environment, capacity building, mentorship, and access to information sessions on trends in the sector’ said Livingstone.
Alice Waweru, PAYED regional program manager said ’Although COVID-19 and other economic downturns have affected many micro businesses globally and especially in Africa, the youth businesses in the PAYED program showed strong resilience and a remarkable surge of innovation, which have helped them to continue growing and creating new employment opportunities.”
Tunsime Kyando, PAYED program manager and Country Director TechnoServe Tanzania thanked Citi and the Citi Foundation for yet another phase of the program that will allow us to bring this support to an increasednumber of youth entrepreneurs.
“In Tanzania PAYED project does not only affect youth Micro retail, but also the government and other stakeholders across the value chain. We appreciate the partnership with Citi foundation and look for more opportunities for decent job creation among youth through the Micro retail sector in Tanzania” said Kyando.
According to her, through the project TechnoServe will work with the government, financial institutions, suppliers and digital service providers to position youth entrepreneurs and micro retail sector in Tanzania visible and more strategic for sustainable economy and creation of more decent job opportunities.
PRESIDENT Samia Suluhu Hassan.
Permanent Secretary,President’s Office (Regional Administration and Local Governments, Prof Riziki Shemdoe.
Stumai stands outside her motorcycle taxi business. Among three businesses she had launched since taking part in CAMFED supported skills training.
Gemma Akilimali.
Dr Dorothy Gwajima,minister for Community Development, Gender, Women and Special Groups (C) cuts a ribbon to launch special convoy vehicle during the launch of the 16-days of activism against gender-based violence at Leaders Club grounds Kinondoni in Dar es Salaam yesterday. On her (R) is the WiLDAFchairmanDr Monica Mhoja and (2nd L) is the Ministry’s deputy Permanent Secretary AmoniMpanju. Photo: Correspondent Imani Nathaniel
Deputy Minister for Education, Science and Technology, Dr Omary Kipanga
VICE President Dr Philip Mpango
Vice President Dr Philip Mpango presents to Bonite Bottlers Ltd managing director Raman Ananthanarayanan (L) a certificate of appreciation in connection with sponsorship for the 16th President’s Manufacturers of the Year Awards (PMAYA). This was at the Awards ceremony held in Dar es Salaam yesterday. It was organised by the Confederation of Tanzania Industries. Another photo on Page 2. Photo: Correspondent Miraji Msala
Zanzibar First Lady Mariam Mwinyi (C), Chairperson of the Zanzibar Maisha Bora Foundation, holds talks with female ambassadors and high commissioners representing Tanzania in various countries when they visited the ZMBF offices in Zanzibar on Thursday. Photo: Foreign Affairsministry
Bryan You, Director of Huawei Southern Africa Software Solution and Marketing.
PHOTO: EAC
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TechnoServe, Citi Foundation partner to empower SMEs – IPPmedia
