The “Namaa” organization has been actively involved in promoting women’s social entrepreneurship initiatives in Zanzibar through a recent field visit. This activity aimed to review the progress and results of projects that are supported by the “Empowering Civil Society Organizations” program, which directly assists 25 organizations and involves around 400 women engaged in business.
The visit included several nonprofit organizations and women’s community groups that are part of the program in Zanzibar. The goal was to enhance skills, share practical experiences, and empower social financing pathways for project development, enabling them to generate income and increase revenues. This approach is designed to reinforce the financial sustainability of these projects and strengthen their long-term community impact.
Namaa launched the “Empowering Civil Society Organizations” program in 2024 in collaboration with NAMA Foundation from Malaysia and the Nice Tanzania Development Foundation. This initiative combines social financing, represented by interest-free social loans, with capacity building, training, and strategic planning support, enabling NGOs to diversify their income sources and enhance their operational efficiency and institutional capacity.
Mariam Al-Hamadi, General Director of Namaa, noted that the visit aligns with Namaa’s vision of empowering women through training initiatives, financial support, and partnerships. She emphasized the organization’s commitment to providing women-led civil society organizations and NGOs in Zanzibar with tools that foster sustainability. This is realized through responsible social financing and practical strategic planning, transforming initiatives into stable, sustainable income models. The program aims to directly empower these organizations to establish long-term financial sustainability, reducing dependency on short-term support while helping them implement solutions that solidify their impact within the communities they serve.
Field Highlights
The field visit included several key stops, such as the Women’s Chamber of Commerce in Zanzibar and the Women of Otali Foundation to learn about the Women’s Tourist Guidance project. Following that, the delegation visited the Community Peace Foundation in Kizimkazi to explore the “Village Women Empowerment” project.
The group also toured the Zanzibar Coalition for Equality and Justice, where they learned about the Clean Cooking Ventures project, which combines environmental solutions with income-generating opportunities.
In their final stop, the delegation visited the Zawosa organization to review the “Tourist Boats for Women Fishermen” project, which exemplifies new opportunities for women in unconventional sectors.
This field visit enhanced coordination channels with local partners, established support priorities for the next phase of the program, and linked training to the development of implementable income models. It also set up monitoring pathways to ensure that social financing aligns with project requirements and their growth plans, while assessing institutional progress in the medium and long term.