Marketing Perspectives:

1. Location: Our sunflower oil production unit is located at Mwigumbi, a busy junction on the main road from Mwanza to Dar es Salaam. This site attracts many travellers, making it easy to reach potential customers.
2. Target Markets:

Bus Passengers: We will connect with bus agents to promote our sunflower oil to passengers. Our main offering will be a 5-liter package that travellers can buy during bus stops.

Public Markets: We will sell our sunflower oil at nearby public markets held weekly:

Mhunze Market (Thursdays)

Maganzo Market (Sundays)

Old Shinyanga Market (Sundays)

Mipa Market (Tuesdays)

Nyasamba Market (Fridays)

Our team of young mothers will set up booths and offer various package sizes (1-liter, 3-liter, and 5-liter) to meet different customer needs.

3. Livestock Feed: We will market sunflower cake, a by-product of oil production, as affordable feed for cattle. We’ll visit local farmers and establish connections with businesses that buy in bulk.

4. Promotion Tactics:

Word of Mouth: We will encourage local villagers and vendors to share information about our products, creating buzz within the community.

Branding: Our product packaging will showcase our mission to support young mothers. Clear, appealing labels and messages will emphasize the social impact of buying our oil.

Announcements: We will use a portable speaker at public markets to share messages in Swahili and attract customers.

By using these strategies, we aim to increase sales, support single mothers, and strengthen our community.

Maintenance and Financing Plans:

1. Spare Parts Availability: We have all the necessary spare parts for our pressing machine, which were purchased together with the machine. This means we can replace parts easily when needed, without delays. In addition, Our new purification machine also comes with spare parts, further supporting our maintenance plans.

2. Funding Maintenance: The costs for maintenance will come from the revenue generated by selling our sunflower oil. We will set aside a portion of the sales income specifically for maintenance before calculating profits. This ensures that we can keep the machine running smoothly.

These steps help ensure the project remains operational and sustainable for the long term.

Organizational Structure Post-Start-up:

The organisational structure post-start-up will develop in three phases:

1. Phase 1 (Years 1-2)

TAI will lead the project and provide coaching, mentorship, and training to young women, managing production, marketing, and sales.

2. Phase 2 (Year 3)

TAI will step back and take on an advisory role and the women involved will elect their leaders comprised of chairperson, treasurer, sales and marketing head and an operations leader. TAI will continue to mentor and support the team.

3. Phase 3 (Year 4) – Group Graduation

TAI will withdraw from its advisory role but can be consulted if needed. The management team created in phase 2 will take charge. Other members will handle specific tasks after receiving training from TAI.

This structure ensures that the project is successfully managed by the women, promoting their independence and leadership.