Historical Context

The Tanzania Entrepreneurship Foundation (TEF), initiated informally in 2017 and formally established in 2018 as a registered non-profit (Reg. No. OONGO/R/1723), was founded to transform Tanzanians into job creators. The organization drew inspiration from Mr. Gary Shotton, CEO of Inspiring Better Business (IBB)-USA. Together with Tanzanian native Octavian Msongamwanja, they launched TEF’s flagship Entrepreneurship Education Initiative in 2018. This initiative reached 35,000 participants across nearly all of Tanzania. This transformative program, continuing through 2022, established TEF as a national leader in entrepreneurship education. It solidified its role in Tanzania’s innovation ecosystem by its 2021 registration.

Introduction

The Entrepreneurship Education Initiative, launched in 2018, is funded by Inspiring Better Business (IBB)-USA. It is TEF’s foundational program. It empowers 20,000 students, 10,000 women, and 5,000 men from church communities and educational institutions. These regions include Morogoro, Dar es Salaam, Arusha, Kilimanjaro, Tanga, Tabora, Dodoma, Mbeya, Mwanza, Iringa, Njombe, and Rukwa. The initiative is anchored in Gary Shotton’s teachings on God’s laws for business. It integrates biblical principles of integrity, stewardship, and generosity. These principles are combined with practical business skills. This integration helps drive job creation and economic independence. Through workshops, seminars, and training sessions, TEF has enabled over 10,000 businesses to launch, fostering prosperity nationwide.

This ongoing program (2018–now) targets church-based groups and students from secondary schools to universities. It addresses unemployment and poverty. The program focuses particularly on youth and women. TEF has transformed communities by leveraging church networks and educational institutions. This aligns with its mission to foster a community-led movement for economic empowerment.

The Entrepreneurship Approach

The initiative embodies TEF’s vision through:

• Faith-Based Curriculum: Gary Shotton’s God’s laws for business emphasizes ethical principles. These include integrity, stewardship, and community service. These principles are integrated with practical skills like business planning, financial management, marketing, and customer relations.
• Inclusive Training: Workshops are tailored for students, women, and men. They address youth unemployment in urban centers like Dar es Salaam. They also tackle women’s economic barriers in rural areas like Rukwa.
• Community Networks: Churches and schools across Tanzania serve as platforms, ensuring cultural relevance and broad reach.
• Practical Application: Participants develop business plans for local opportunities, such as retail, crafts, services, and small-scale agriculture.

This approach addresses Tanzania’s economic challenges. It covers issues from urban unemployment to rural poverty. It aligns with Tanzania’s National Development Vision 2022 for job creation and economic growth.

TEF’s Role in Tanzania

TEF, coordinated from its Morogoro headquarters, partners with churches, secondary schools, and universities across Tanzania to deliver the initiative. Key contributions include:

• Training Delivery: Since 2018, TEF has conducted over 200 workshops and seminars each year. TEF trained 35,000 participants in 2018, including 20,000 students, 10,000 women, and 5,000 men. Thousands more will be trained through 2022, with a focus on God’s laws for business and entrepreneurship skills.
• Mentorship: TEF facilitators are trained by IBB. They provide ongoing support. They guide participants to launch businesses in markets from Mwanza’s trading hubs. They also support participants in Kilimanjaro’s craft sectors.
• Gender and Youth Inclusion: Training prioritizes women, who comprise 29% of participants. It also focuses on youth, representing 57%. The program addresses barriers like limited capital and education in regions such as Tabora and Iringa.
• Community Engagement: TEF collaborates with church leaders and school administrators. They host sessions to ensure accessibility in urban centers like Dar es Salaam. Rural areas like Njombe are also included.

By embedding these activities in Tanzania’s communities, TEF has sparked a sustained movement for ethical entrepreneurship.

Partnership and Funding

The initiative is fully funded by IBB-USA, under CEO Gary Shotton. His financial support and expertise in faith-based business training have enabled TEF to reach 35,000 participants. This backing will sustain the program through 2022. IBB’s curriculum, centered on God’s laws for business, provides a distinctive ethical foundation, setting the initiative apart from secular programs. TEF’s partnerships with church networks and educational institutions across Tanzania ensure cultural alignment and scalability.

Outcomes and Impact

The initiative has delivered transformative economic and social benefits:

• Economic Benefits: By 2022, over 10,000 businesses have been launched (e.g., retail, crafts, services, small-scale agriculture), with 6,000 participants reporting income increases of TSh 50,000–100,000 monthly. These businesses have created approximately 20,000 jobs, boosting economies in regions like Arusha, Mbeya, and Dodoma.
• Social Benefits: Women have gained leadership skills, reducing economic dependency by 20% among female participants. Youth unemployment among trainees has decreased by 15%, with students in Morogoro and Mwanza pursuing vocational opportunities.
• Community Impact: Church-based training has inspired 15,000 additional community members to explore entrepreneurship. This amplification of impact is significant in regions like Tanga and Iringa.

A success story is that of Amina, a mother from Morogoro who joined TEF’s workshops in 2018. Amina was inspired by God’s laws for business. She was trained in financial management. She launched a tailoring business. By 2020, she was earning TSh 100,000 monthly. Her income supports her children’s education and employs two assistants, demonstrating the initiative’s lasting impact.

The initiative’s 35,000 direct beneficiaries in 2018 and ongoing reach since then underscore TEF’s commitment to economic empowerment.

Challenges and Solutions

The initiative addresses key challenges:

• Unemployment: Training focuses on low-capital businesses, enabling ventures like trading in Dar es Salaam and crafts in Kilimanjaro.
• Gender Barriers: Women’s limited access to resources is overcome through targeted workshops and church-based support in regions like Tabora.
• Educational Disparities: The curriculum is adapted for secondary students, university learners, and adults, ensuring accessibility in Mwanza and Rukwa.
• Logistical Scale: Nationwide delivery is achieved through church and school partnerships, with TEF coordinating facilitators across 12+ regions.

These solutions showcase TEF’s dedication to sustainable empowerment.

Global and Local Impact

The initiative has positioned TEF as a national leader in Tanzania’s innovation ecosystem. It aligns with global goals for economic empowerment. This includes Sustainable Development Goal 8: Decent Work. Locally, it has transformed communities across Morogoro, Dar es Salaam, and Arusha. It has also reached beyond these cities. The initiative has established a model for faith-based entrepreneurship education. This model fosters sustainable livelihoods nationwide.

Future Commitment

TEF, under Dr. Luseko Chilagane’s governance, continues to scale the initiative:

• Expanding training to 100,000 participants by 2030, incorporating digital platforms.
• Strengthening church and school partnerships for ongoing education in regions like Kilimanjaro and Dodoma.
• Deepening the integration of ethical entrepreneurship principles to sustain economic impact.

This initiative embodies TEF’s vision of a resilient, entrepreneurial Tanzania, driven by faith-based education and economic empowerment.