Support for youth digital trading outlined

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What you need to know:

  • The platform targets to enable girls and young women to gain access to the skills, opportunities and resources necessary to launch and operate own businesses.

Dar es Salaam. A new platform that seeks to empower the youth to run own businesses in the digital economy has been launched.

Dubbed “Panda Digital SMS,” the initiative was launched yesterday by the Her Initiative organisation in collaboration with Women Fund Tanzania.

The platform targets to enable girls and young women to gain access to the skills, opportunities and resources necessary to launch and operate own businesses.

Speaking at the launching ceremony, Her Initiative managing director Lidya Moyo said the model offered a user-friendly method that did not require having smart phones or having access to internet connection in order to benefit from the course and opportunities.

Ms Moyo said the platform was an extension of the Panda e-learning website that targets young women who did not have internet access or smartphones, large numbers of girls and young women who lack access to the internet and do not own smartphones, yet they have the right to acquire the skills and knowledge required for economic empowerment.

“It has been one year since we launched the Panda Digital platform, and the feedback has been remarkably positive. More than 4,000 girls and young women utilise this platform for learning. If there had been limitless access to the internet and smartphones, we are certain that this platform could have reached many more girls and young women,” she said.

She said the user will send an SMS to a number and follow the directives for registration, adding they would be allowed to promote their business as well as benefit with various courses offered.

Ms Moyo added that currently, the platform model had two courses: a digital marketing course where girls and young women can learn how to search and locate online markets, and a business model canvas course that equips users to comprehend the flow of business operations.

For his part, the founder of Mtabe Innovations, Mr Given Edward, said a number of girls and women were not using the internet for business opportunities due to most of the content created from a male perspective.

“But this platform will enable them to participate because its content it’s for both language and easy to use,“ he said.