Introduction:

With a generous donation of €6996 from the AFAS Foundation through iMPACT direct, TAI embarked on a project to empower 30 young single mothers in breaking out of extreme poverty. The project aimed to provide these women with a sustainable source of income through sunflower farming and by establishing a savings scheme. With the full approval of the Local Government Authority and community members, the meeting started. Parents/guardians were also engaged to support the young single mothers with donating land for farming.

Objectives:

• Engage 30 young single mothers in a sunflower farming business
• Establish a savings scheme to promote financial independence
• Provide psychosocial support and positive parenting training to improve self-esteem and confidence

Activities Completed:

1. Psychosocial Support and Positive Parenting Training: TAI’s Counsellor Staff offered psychosocial support to the 30 young mothers, who had previously been stigmatized for having children out of wedlock. Following the training, they have regained their self-esteem and are now confident to engage in economic activities. They were also trained on positive parenting skills to raise their children with a positive and healed mindset.
2. Village Savings & Loans (VSL) Training: 25 young single mothers were trained on VSL, and they have since begun weekly savings of Tsh 1000 in their Village Community Bank Group. They have also started making liquid soap using raw materials donated by a volunteer. The group has saved Tsh 452,850 in their VICOBA from selling liquid soap and vegetables at their localities.
3. Sunflower Farming: 25 young women were trained on business development, marketing, and bookkeeping before planting sunflowers. They planted their crops in January and February, using high-quality seeds from local farmers. Currently, they are preparing for oil processing.
4. Construction of Pressing Room: TAI constructed a permanent storage room for the pressing machine and harvested seeds.
5. Procurement of Pressing Machine: The machine was procured from China at a lower price than its cost in Tanzania, and it is currently at the port in Dar-es-Salaam.

Outcomes:

• The participants are more active in their group than before the project, indicating progress in their psychological healing process.
• The participants have started saving in their VSL group, with a total of Tsh 452,850 shares.
• Some participants have engaged in small-scale liquid soap businesses while preparing their sunflower farms.
• The parents/guardians have started valuing their children, sometimes even supporting them financially to purchase shares.

Conclusion:

The €6996 donation from the AFAS Foundation has made a significant impact on the lives of 30 young single mothers. The project has not only provided them with a means of generating income but also empowered them with skills, confidence, and psychological healing. We are grateful for the support and look forward to continuing our work in empowering marginalized communities.

Recommendations:

• Continue monitoring the progress of the sunflower farming business and provide support as needed
• Expand the savings scheme to include additional services, such as financial literacy training
• Identify opportunities for market access and partnerships to increase the sales of sunflower products
• Scale the project to other villages as requested by local leaders.