Dar es Salaam. A group of 300 young street vendors are set for greater business success with the addition of benches for their business as well as business and entrepreneurship training from Coca-Cola Kwanza, a subsidiary of Coca-Cola Beverages Africa (CCBA) in Tanzania.
The vendors, all from the Mwenge, Kinondoni district in Dar es Salaam Region, will also be assisted with introductions to micro-lending institutions to enable them to access funding and expand their businesses.
District Municipal Mayor Songoro Khamis Mnyonge and District Commissioner Godwin Gondwe as guests of honour attended the handover of the 300 benches donated by Coca-Cola Kwanza Ltd wealthy 25 million Tanzania Shillings.
The initiative forms part of CCBA’s economic inclusion strategy, focusing on women and youth.
“At CCBA, we use our industry leadership to be part of the solution to make the continent a better place for all and to build a more sustainable future for our planet,” said Coca-Cola Kwanza’s Public Affairs, Communications and Sustainability director, Salum Nassor.
“Our aim is to create greater shared opportunity for the business and the communities we serve across the value-chain. Opportunity is more than just money, it’s about a better future for people and their communities everywhere on the African continent.
“CCBA has adopted the three pillars of education, employability and entrepreneurship as a framework for its economic inclusion strategy.
“We define economic inclusion as the opening of gainful economic opportunities by providing access to markets and other economic activities leveraging the business and the entire industry.
Speaking at the hand-over event, Coca-Cola Kwanza’s Business development and commercialization director Ms. Josephine Msalilwa said
“Our aim is to boost income, provide decent earning potential and improve skills and business knowledge for youth, resulting in them accessing other opportunities.
“We have a particular focus on current or potential entrepreneurs with the possibility to link them to the Coca-Cola value chain today or in the future,”
On his part, Kinondoni District Commissioner Mr. Godwin Gondwe who was also guest of honor said
“On behalf of the government, I would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to Coca-Cola Kwanza Limited for joining government efforts to economically empower our citizens by focusing on women and youth, who constitute most of our country’s population. I call upon other institutions, stakeholders, and non-government organizations to benchmark what Coca-Cola Kwanza Ltd did on working together and support the government’s efforts in finding solutions to community challenges. “
