Think Equal, Lead Smart initiative amplifies women MSMEs’ role in Tanzania’s Vision 2050

Dar es Salaam. Business leaders, development partners and women entrepreneurs convened in Dar es Salaam on Thursday for the inaugural Think Equal, Lead Smart (TELS) knowledge session, a strategic collaboration between the CEO Roundtable of Tanzania (CEOrt) and the Vodacom Tanzania Foundation aimed at strengthening the role of women-led enterprises in national development.

Held at the Serena Hotel under the theme “The Future of Women-Led MSMEs: Inclusion, Challenges and Opportunities for Women-Led Enterprises,” the forum linked lived entrepreneurial experiences with Tanzania’s long-term development agenda under Tanzania Development Vision 2050 (DIRA 2050).

The TELS platform seeks to advance inclusive economic participation by fostering dialogue among the private sector, financial institutions, policymakers and women-led micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs). Through knowledge-sharing and policy-informed discussions, the initiative aims to position women entrepreneurs as critical drivers of Tanzania’s economic transformation.

Speaking at the event, Vodacom Tanzania Foundation Manager Ms Sandra Oswald underscored the urgency of building systems that enable women-owned businesses to grow, formalise and compete sustainably.

“Women MSMEs form the backbone of Tanzania’s economy, contributing significantly to employment creation, household income and local innovation, yet they continue to face systemic barriers that limit their growth,” she said.

“For Tanzania to realise the ambitions of Vision 2050, women entrepreneurs must be fully integrated into the country’s economic growth strategy.”

The session provided a platform for women entrepreneurs to speak candidly about challenges they face, including limited access to affordable finance, digital exclusion, regulatory hurdles, market constraints and weak business support ecosystems.

Participants shared firsthand experiences highlighting persistent gaps between policy intent and realities on the ground—structural challenges that, speakers noted, require coordinated action from both the public and private sectors.

Ms Oswald said the TELS initiative bridges these lived experiences with national development priorities.

“Think Equal, Lead Smart connects the realities of women entrepreneurs with Tanzania’s broader development agenda. By aligning this dialogue with Vision 2050, we are recognising women MSMEs as central to economic transformation, innovation and inclusive growth,” she said.

CEOrt Executive Director Ms Santina Majengo said partnerships such as TELS strengthen advocacy efforts and amplify the voices of women in business.

She emphasised the importance of sustained dialogue, capacity building and policy engagement to ensure women entrepreneurs are not left behind in Tanzania’s development journey.

One of the participants, entrepreneur Ms Nyakarinde Ndaro, said the session reshaped her understanding of what it takes to run a successful business.

“This session was truly eye-opening. I used to believe entrepreneurship only requires capital, but today I learned that knowledge can take you further when money cannot,” she said.

“I gained practical lessons that will help me manage my business more effectively.”

As the first in a planned series, the Think Equal, Lead Smart knowledge platform will continue to convene stakeholders around actionable insights, practical solutions and policy-aligned strategies. Future sessions will expand engagement across regions and sectors, reinforcing the role of women MSMEs as key contributors to national prosperity.

The event concluded with a call for collective action, urging institutions, investors, regulators and development partners to move beyond dialogue and commit to tangible reforms and investments that create an enabling environment for women-led enterprises.