In Tanzania, women-owned businesses continue to face systemic challenges in accessing public procurement opportunities—barriers that hinder growth, competitiveness, and sustainable income generation. Through the Growth and Economic Opportunities for Women (GROW) East Africa Initiative, Women and Social Protection (WSP) has taken strategic action to change that narrative.
Funded by IDRC–Canada (International Development Research Centre), this initiative was designed to empower women-led businesses while advocating for policy reforms that support inclusive public procurement.
Training 389 Women-Owned SMEs Across Dar es Salaam
WSP delivered an intensive capacity-building program to 389 Women-Owned Small and Medium Enterprises (WOSMEs) across all five districts of Dar es Salaam. The training equipped participants with essential skills to effectively engage in public procurement systems, including:
- Digital literacy
- How to access and navigate the National e-Procurement System of Tanzania (NeST)
- Financial literacy and access to finance
- Certification processes and tender application strategies
- Business networking and formalization
The training aimed to prepare women entrepreneurs to competitively bid for public contracts, take advantage of the 30% government procurement allocation for special groups, and expand their economic opportunities.
“This training helped me see new possibilities. I now understand how to find tenders and what’s needed to apply,” shared one participant.
Building Gender-Responsive Institutions
Recognizing that policy-level change is essential for sustainable impact, WSP also conducted a Gender-Responsive Procurement training for 57 procurement and gender focal persons from government ministries and institutions, along with 7 WOSME representatives.
This training covered:
- Understanding and applying gender-responsive procurement principles
- Identifying and eliminating structural barriers that limit women’s access to public contracts
- Ensuring compliance with the 30% procurement quota
- Encouraging institutional budget allocations for special groups
- Promoting ethical behavior and integrity in procurement processes
The result? Increased awareness among public officials and a renewed commitment to creating procurement systems that are inclusive, transparent, and equitable.
A Pathway to Inclusive Economic Growth
WSP’s work under the GROW initiative demonstrates the power of combining grassroots empowerment with top-down policy engagement. By addressing both the capacity of women entrepreneurs and the responsiveness of public institutions, WSP is helping to create a procurement landscape where women-owned businesses can thrive—not just survive.