TCC donates tailoring equipment to women with disabilities
The Temeke District Commissioner, Jokate Mwegelo (centre) witnesses as the Tanzania Cigarette Public Limited Company Corporate Affairs and Communications Director, Patricia Mhondo (left) hands over tailoring equipment to the Chairperson of the Umoja wa Wanawake Wenye Ulemavu wa Viungo Temeke (UWAVIUTE), Albertina Mbaji during a ceremony that was held at the Union’s office in Dar es Salaam.
Tanzania Cigarette Public Limited Company (TCC Plc) has donated various tailoring equipment to members of the Umoja wa Wanawake Wenye Ulemavu wa Viungo Temeke (UWAVIUTE) to empower them economically.
Speaking during the hand over, the Temeke District Commissioner Jokate Mwegelo lauded TCC for the great initiative and for always remembering the less privileged in the society and participating in different community activities.
“You have been of great support to the people of Temeke especially people with disabilities and your support to them has empowered them hence making them independent,” she said.
She called on the beneficiaries to make good use of the donation from TCC Plc so they can generate more income and improve their livelihoods. “You will now be able to take care of your families and take your children to school because you are sure of producing,” said the DC.
She said the government will continue empowering groups such as UWAVIUTE by among other things ensuring they get access to quick loans. “The process is now very clear so you can quickly access these loans and expand your activities.”
On her part, the TCC Plc Corporate Affairs and Communication Director, Patricia Mhondo, said they were touched by UWAVIUTE efforts to succeed despite their physical challenges hence the decision to support them. She mentioned that TCC Plc has been supporting them since 2019 where they donated tailoring equipment, paid a whole year’s rent for their premises and linked the group with the Tanzania Private Sector Foundation (TPSF) for membership.
“Today we are handing over two industrial tailoring machines, one overlock machine, five rolls of different kinds of fabric, eight rolls of school uniform materials, five African fabrics (vitenge), ten batik materials, six bundles and white and blue sewing thread and electronic scissors. All these are worth over six and a half million Tanzanian shillings,” she said.
According to the Director, the donation is part of TCC contribution to the society through its continuous community investment programs. “We will continue supporting Government’s initiatives in different ways,” she said.
She added that soon, in collaboration with the Association for the blind in Temeke, they will conduct ICT training to teachers with disability in Temeke District so they can also adopt modern technology in their work.
She further noted that TCC has been donating assistive devices to people with disability countrywide, supporting different women and young adults’ groups by economically empowering them and participating in clean up campaigns including the ‘Safisha, Pendezesha Dar es Salaam’ campaign that is coordinated by the Dar es Salaam Regional Commissioner’s office.
On scholarship, she said they have been supporting various older youths to study at the Bagamoyo College of Arts (TaSuBA) as a way of promoting culture.
So far over 70 youths have benefited from the scholarships and in 2022 TCC Plc started to provide fully funded scholarships for Tanzanian youths to pursue master’s degree programs in Japanese Universities.
