Source: Tanzania Daily News
Women are crusaders when it comes to poverty alleviation, and this is evident in their income generating groups and their struggle to free themselves from depending on their husbands.

Some of these groups are registered and are thus eligible for loans from financial institutions.

However, due to bureaucracy and unfriendly conditions given by the lenders, many women find it easier to organize themselves in informal groups, based on mutual trust.

It is interesting how the groups function. Around Tabata in Ilala District, women and young girls who run hairdressing salons, boutiques and others selling food, commonly known as Mama lishe, have pooled resources and are giving themselves what appears like loans but with no interest charged. In their own language, they call it 'mchezo', roughly translated as a game.

Perhaps this is money game, but certainly not lottery or game of chance. It involves collecting money and empowering members, one after another. "We no longer have to wait for our husbands to provide us with money for basic needs in the family.

We are capable of taking care of ourselves," says Agnes Senza, a popular hairdresser at Tabata Relini. Agnes does not hide her joy, thanks to sensitization on women empowerment and gender equality initiatives. "We have mobilized women and young girls.

Surprisingly, some men have joined our group. We have three of them. We do not have a common project, but are empowering each other through cash collection contributions," says Agnes. In the group called Amani na Upendo, 20 members contribute 100,000/- every week.

All the money goes to one member and each of them waits for their turn to collect 2,000,000/-. In order to sustain membership and avoid any chance of defaulting, each member has contributed 100,000/- as entry fee. "We have come a long way.

I would not be able to buy driers and accessories for my salon, if I were not a member of the group," says Mariam Issa, a member. Mariam wishes to sensitize other women to get out of their shells and chart strategies on joint ventures.

"We must struggle to overcome the hurdles that have made us a weaker and dependant sex. I believe that we earn more respect from everyone, including our husbands if we are able to sustain our families, rather than sitting down and waiting for men to bring home money," says Veronica Mutasa, another member of the group who is a food vendor.

Veronica says her husband had been harsh and unreasonable, making absurd comments which used to hurt her. However, things have become different after she started a small boutique which she was able to expand after joining the group.

"He is no longer hostile to me. He even asks me to give him some money when he is broke. We are planning to buy a property in Bagamoyo and start a poultry project," says Vero.

Involving women in a project, therefore, should be an important policy for government and development organisations because there are actors, rather than victims, and can drastically change their own lives.

According to an online observer, "Women not only manage economic activities better than men, but also use the economic resources more wisely and to the benefit of the entire household."

This is very true of the local scenario which shows that the concern of most women and their sacrifice is for their families, more than anything else. "With men it is different. They usually choose between family and leisure.

Women have no choice when it comes to family matters," remarks Adela Sanga, who is not in the Amani na Upendo group, but has been impressed by their activities. Men who have seen this group are envious. They see it as a role model and wish other women could emulate it.

"Women are becoming frontrunners in development. From many complaints about oppression and suppression to implementers of income generating projects, this is a notable success. The world has changed," says Ibrahim Muga who owns a butcher at Tabata and has seen the women group and welfare of the members changing from good to better.

In a project aiming at empowering women, Tanzania Media Women Association (TAMWA) has teamed up with TGNP, TAWLA, ZAFELA and CRC in an initiative dubbed Gender Equality and Women Empowerment Programme (GEWE II), in a bid to give them a strong foundation to help attain gender equality, taking into account the plight they face and that of the children.

The specific areas covered are Dar es Salaam, (Kinondoni and Ilala Districts,) Coast (Kisarawe,) Morogoro, (Mvomero) Lindi (rural), Mtwara (Ruangwa) Pemba (North), Unguja (West) Pemba (Wete) "Income generating projects are a practical solution to empowering women and one of the strategies to strengthen their positions," remarks a researcher online.

• Tanzania