^{_{Moms and Daughters' -project participants of Mtwara (Tanzania) were trained for business in Mikindani on week 45 - read the report from Tor Lindborg}}

^{_{Objective 1}}

The objective of the training was to empower the women by increasing their skills in how to make business in a structured way.

_Resources

A group of four Finnish business volunteers (Kristiina, Antti, Karri and Leena) had the overall responsibilities for the content and implementation of topics.

They were supported by SDA personnel who took care of logistics, transport, and most important of the translation during the training (Adolf, Thea, Christopher, Kulu and Dora).

Furthermore a handful Finnish long term volunteers participated with supporting all activities (Tor, Krista, Miia and Sini).

_{The target group}

Four M&D groups in Mtwara were selected for the Business Training. The Mitengo group had all women (20) and the Chuno, Ligula and Jipange groups had four members each. It was important for all of the groups to get business training before starting the savings and credit operations.

After school, the daughters joined the training.

_Venue

The training took place at the Mitengo Primary School premises, under a huge mango tree. The place had a good breeze and from time to time chicken and cows passed without disturbing anybody.

_Results

The women were trained in how to make and improve business. They learned to understand terms such as investment costs and variable costs, labour cost (this they had not thought about) as well as how they influence on the products’ final price when production costs are fluctuating.

Every day ended with working in groups and filling in a Questions form that became a database to determine their present level as well as evaluating the performance.

Every group ended up with one or more business plans with detailed information on products, marketing and prices.

They now have a structural way and methods in evaluating products and markets and how to determine the price in a changing environment.

_Rewards

The seven best business plans were rewarded and the two best got a loan. This took place the last day, Friday the 4^th of November under the mango tree. First each group had to select one business plan to be presented in front of all participants. There were five groups but somehow we ended up with listening to seven business plans! This is Africa and we had to live with that. No problems.

Then the participants, through a method of electing with coupons, found out the two winners for loans.

A chicken breeding group got a loan of 300 000,-Tsh and a Handicraft business plan received 150 000,- Tsh.

All seven plans were rewarded with 50 000,-Tsh each.

_{The Saturday Festival at Old Boma}

This event became the “Grande Finale” for the week and 55 mothers participated in the market. They displayed their products in a professional way and the sales were good. The children and the women also had a Makonde dance performance that was appreciated by the guests at the Old Boma in Mikindani.

SDA and Old Boma had planned the event together for a long time before Saturday the 5^th of November. This cooperation fulfilled all expectations and Old Boma had full house and good sales. SDA enjoyed a proper venue and collected charity funds for the women. And the women made a sale exceeding a normal week’s result.

Old Boma (chef Juma) had designed the buffet with excellent quality. Grilled chicken with taste of rosemary, fish masala, salad, pilau, vegetable wok etc.

Altogether 44 lunch guests out of 50 promises enjoyed the lunch inside the Boma in the Grand Hall. One of the Finnish volunteers, Sini, entertained the guests with her beautiful songs accompanied by her guitar.

One of the reasons for the success was established by the sales of lunch tickets in advance. The thanks go to the SDA board who outlined this and many other activities. Other big thanks go to Miia, Sini and Christopher who were in charge of the presales.

The sales of Old Boma ended up to 600 000,-Tsh and charity income for M&D ended up to 150 000,-Tsh. Out of that 50 000,-Tsh was paid for food for 50 women at the Fish market. And the women had additional income from their sales.

^{_{Objective 2}}

“To train the Trainers” in the methodology of Savings and Credit.

The four SDA employees in the M&D project shall after the training be able to start implementation of the S&Cr with the Mitengo Women Group.

_Venue

The training took place every morning from 08:00 to 10:00 a clock in the Project House.

_Results

The SDA M&D personnel together with the Finnish volunteers are ready to begin the implementation of S&Cr with the Mitengo M&D group. The implementation starts in December and continues up to February 2012.

In February 2012 the implementation can start with the remaining three groups at the same time.

_Methodology

SDA is following the Training Guide (formation of savings and loans groups) which is documented by CARE International and implemented among many other countries, one of them being Uganda.

^{_{Objective 3}}

During and after this training the objective is to document a methodology for further empowering the women. A training concept for Business and Credit shall be outlined.

_Result

A framework for further training based on material and feedback from this week shall be prepared. The finalizing takes place in Finland after all members of the team have returned.

After that there shall be two training manuals ready.

1.       Training of business and entrepreneurship

2.       Training and implementation of Savings and Credit

Training under the mango tree at Mitengo, Mtwara