Press Release

U.S. Ambassador inaugurates Women’s Weaving Micro-Enterprise

March 19, 2008

U.S. Ambassador Mark Green will inaugurate the Mwada Mshikamano Women’s Group Weaving Enterprises during his visit to Babati District in Arusha on March 20, 2008. The group of thirty women, founded in 2000, is located at Mwada village in the Burunge Wildlife Management Area (WMA). The group's objective is to benefit from the growing tourist activities in the area following the establishment of Burunge as a WMA.

According to a press release from the U.S. Embassy, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), in partnership with African Wildlife Foundation (AWF), has sponsored the group since its founding.

Throughout its establishment phase, USAID has been training the Mshikamano women group in business skills, marketing, design improvement, styling of baskets, mats and other weaved products. Today, Mshikamano women group sell these products locally to Tanzanians and tourists visiting the two tented camps in the WMA. In 2005, the Mwada Mshikamano Women’s Group Weaving Enterprises was chosen to represent the Babati District in the Saba Saba agricultural show.

With financial support from the American people through USAID, the group has constructed a simple business center, which the group calls its ‘Banda’. The facility is used as a business office, store and a meeting place for the group's members. As a result of their organized enterprise, the Mshikamano Women's Group received an order in December 2007 to make baskets for Lake Burunge Tented Lodge worth $1,125 (approximately 1.3 million Tanzanian shillings). The centre also provides access to non-member women who are allowed to sell their products at the Banda at no charge.

Financial support for the above program comes from the American people and is part of overall U.S. Government direct and multilateral assistance to Tanzania of more than half a billion U.S. Dollars (over 750 billion Tanzanian shillings) in fiscal year 2008.