Women aged between 35 and 55, many of whom have never learned to read or write, are among those being trained as community solar engineers for a project that brings electricity to rural villages on the islands of Zanzibar.
Tanzania
Politics and Society “Burkini Island” Zanzibar: Where Muslim girls are learning how to swim
Conservative Islamic culture and the absence of modest swimwear have discouraged girls from swimming, even when they live their lives surrounded by water. This has been true for the female inhabitants of Tanzania’s Zanzibar Island. Now the Panje Project is breaking the mold to teach women and girls swimming and aquatic safety.
Uncategorized Tanzania set to be the latest East African Community country to ban plastic bags
Rwanda, Kenya and Burundi have been pioneers as the only members of the East African Community to ban the production, importation, sale and use of all single-use plastic bags. Now Tanzania has made a formal commitment to phase out single-use non-biodegradable plastics.
Uncategorized Tanzania to send Kiswahili teachers to South Sudan
South Sudan and Tanzania have signed a five-year deal that will see Tanzania sending Kiswahili teachers to Africa’s newest nation.
Politics and Society Dar es Salaam’s new rapid bus system won international acclaim – but it excludes the poor
Bus Rapid Transit has powerful supporters around the world – but shouldn’t public transport be designed in the public interest?
Politics and Society Denmark withholds substantial aid to Tanzania over “homophobic comments”
Denmark’s minister of development, Ulla Tornaes, is withholding US$9.8 million in aid to Tanzania and postponing a planned trip to the country over “unacceptable homophobic comments” by a senior Tanzanian politician.
Politics and Society Tanzanian police arrest 10 men for sitting in pairs
Anti-gay rhetoric has steadily been on the rise in Tanzania since President John Magufuli took office. It is not the rhetoric that citizens need to be mindful of, however. The government is taking surveillance and intimidation action towards perceived homosexual activity. Now, it seems, the mere act of sitting in a pair is being viewed as criminal.
Politics and Society “Women can now give up contraceptive methods,” Magufuli tells Tanzanian women
Tanzania has a population of about 53 million people, of which 70% live below the poverty level, surviving on about US$2 a day. Despite this, President Magufuli has instructed women to do away with birth control interventions, claiming that the country needs more people.
Politics and Society Why Tanzanian women entrepreneurs don’t apply for formal loans
Women-owned small business in Tanzania stay away from formal loans because of their negative beliefs about loans.