The economy is increasingly stabilizing and experiencing annual growth. Tourism, particularly in the famous national parks in the north and on Zanzibar, is a key sector. The country also possesses gold and nickel ore deposits, as well as natural gas reserves in the Indian Ocean. These raw materials, along with tobacco and cashew nuts, are primarily exported, while other cash crops such as coffee and cotton are declining in importance in favor of domestic food production.

Nevertheless, unemployment in the country is very high, and many people are drawn to the metropolis of Dar es Salaam in the hope of better opportunities. The majority of the population still lives in rural areas and practices subsistence farming. However, the country is increasingly struggling with the consequences of climate change, particularly in the semi-desert region of the central country, which is significantly worsening living conditions.

Direct Relief

Since 2020, the Tanzanian organization 'Direct Relief' has been working to improve the rights and living conditions of children, young people, and women. Currently, eight employees, three of whom are full-time, work for Direct Relief in the Dodoma region in the center of the country. Their activities include tree-planting projects with schools, sewing classes for women and girls, and educating women about their land ownership rights.

In 2025, the cooperation with KETAAKETI began, and an initial group of women in the Mpwapwa district received interest-free seed funding from KETAAKETI. Omar Msonga and his team selected ten widows for this purpose, as they often face particular challenges in Tanzania. A third of all widows have their land confiscated by their deceased husband's family, land which for many had been their sole source of food and income. Furthermore, they cannot obtain a loan from any institution to develop an alternative income stream. While the district administration does have a loan program to support women, young people, and people with disabilities, the allocation process is not neutral, meaning that access to loans is usually only possible through personal connections with officials.

In addition to seed funding, the women in the pilot group receive support through entrepreneurship training and a mentoring program, in which each woman is paired with someone who has more experience in building their own business. For example, the interest-free financing enabled some of the women to buy a sewing machine and become self-employed as seamstresses, while others were able to start raising chickens.

Omar Msonga, NGO-Leiter Direct Relief

"Despite their potential, widows in Mpwapwa District often struggle with financial hardships due to limited employment opportunities and dependency on subsistence agriculture. Many lack access to formal financial institutions, making it difficult to secure capital for business ventures. This project
therefore seeks to address these challenges by providing accessible, interestfree microloans that will enable widows to start small businesses."