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Tanzania

Despite impressive development and social welfare improvements, Tanzania continues to face considerable development challenges in economic distribution, population growth, unemployment, and education. The high unemployment rate is attributed to limited access to skills training, low enrolment into TVET institutions and a mismatch between available skills and the labour market needs. The Tanzanian Government has taken steps to decrease the skills gap. It has launched a Technical and Vocational Education and Training department and adopted an Education-Employment Link framework which will connect people who have completed their studies with available jobs.   

There are over 100 different languages spoken in Tanzania, making it the most linguistically diverse country in East Africa. Swahili is the national language, while the official language is English, resulting in a discrepancy between labour demands and available soft skills. 
TANZANIA

facts and Figures

  • Area: 945,087 km²
  • Population: 61 million
  • Administrative Capital: Dodoma
  • Commercial Capital: Dar es Salaam

Swisscontact in Tanzania

  • Since 1979

Projects

View all projects from Tanzania
2023 - 2027
Tanzania
Initial vocational education and training, Labour market insertion
EmpowerHER through Skills
In close collaboration with the private sector and local communities, this project offers non-formal vocational skills to empower marginalized young mothers and connect them with entrepreneurial opportunities that help them access (self-) employment and generate income for themselves and their families.  
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2022 - 2026
Tanzania
Initial vocational education and training, Labour market insertion
Skills for Employment Tanzania

The Skills for Employment Tanzania (SET) Project seeks to improve self-employment prospects among the youth through the contribution to improved access, relevance and quality of vocational skills development.
Youth have difficulty finding employment due to limited access to skills training and a mismatch between available skills training and the...
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News

View all news from Tanzania
Mozambique, Kenya, Tanzania, Rwanda
25.03.2025
Women Breaking Barriers #AcceleratingAction Across Central, East and Southern Africa
Did you know that women make up over 50% of the agricultural workforce in Sub-Saharan Africa, yet they own less than 20% of the land? Or that in Kenya, only 29% of senior management positions are held by women, despite them accounting for nearly half of the labor force? Across Tanzania, Rwanda, and Mozambique, similar gaps persist — in access to credit, education, and leadership opportunities. But change is happening. This International Women’s month, Swisscontact celebrates the unstoppable momentum of women breaking barriers and accelerating action. Under the theme #AccelerateAction, we spotlight the powerful stories of women transforming industries, building sustainable futures, and reshaping the landscape of inclusion and equality.
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Tanzania
Initial vocational education and training
12.08.2024
Through Horticulture to a Livestock Farmer: The story of Rachel
Rachel received training from the SET project funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) through the Embassy of Switzerland in Tanzania. The training was organized and conducted by Sustainable Agriculture Tanzania (SAT) on organic horticulture production. She was trained on growing vegetables, like cabbage, tomato, okra, and various kind of greens as well as on how to prepare organic fertilizers using local materials.
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Tanzania
Initial vocational education and training
12.08.2024
Diversifying Businesses to Change Life: The story of Anipha
Anipha grew up in Ulaya village, Kilosa District. “After having a baby four years ago, I stayed at home, depending on my parents for all basic needs. But now I’m determined and focused on making my own money and changing my life. For me, any opportunity I see is a business to start with.” says Anipha.
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Country Director
Sabine Renggli

APPROACH

Swisscontact works in Tanzania as a facilitator in skills development to complement government efforts in youth empowerment.  

Economic, social, and academically disadvantaged youth are supported through tailor-made training opportunities to increase their employment chances and entrepreneurship opportunities. Projects are guided by a unique youth and market-driven learning group model, which is focused on three broad and fast-growing sectors. These are agribusiness, construction, and hospitality, which require more locally skilled personnel to meet demand and enhance growth.  

The Skills for Employment project employs an Inclusive Markets system approach which explores the limits and opportunities in-built in the existing Technical and Vocational Education Training system. The project seeks to improve the prospects of self-employment among the youth through a sustainable and systemic contribution to improved access, relevance, and quality of vocational skills development.  

Since ownership is critical for sustainability, our projects apply a participatory approach which involves joint action planning with all partners. Both strategic and implementing partners drive systemic change and act as multipliers to improve the system. 

2022 - 2026
Tanzania
Initial vocational education and training, Labour market insertion
Skills for Employment Tanzania

The Skills for Employment Tanzania (SET) Project seeks to improve self-employment prospects among the youth through the contribution to improved access, relevance and quality of vocational skills development.
Youth have difficulty finding employment due to limited access to skills training and a mismatch between available skills training and the...
Learn more

Regional Reports Central, East and Southern Africa

Regional Report Central, East and Southern Africa 2021/2022
28 MB
Regional Report Video 2020/2021
Regional Report Central, East and Southern Africa 2020
17 MB
Regional Report Central, East and Southern Africa 2019
5 MB
Regional Report Central, East and Southern Africa 2018
7 MB
Taka ni Mali - Waste is Wealth
The Taka ni Mali project contributed to adequate employment opportunities in solid waste collection and recycling, while reducing environmental degradation and health risks through efficient and sustainable solid waste management systems.
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Jobs
The objective of Swisscontact’s work is to open up pathways out of poverty for people in developing countries through broad-based economic development projects.

Motivated and productive employees with initiative constitute the most important success factor in all areas of our work. We count on motivated individuals who are looking to the future, impact- and team-oriented, and want to work in international development cooperation.
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Contact

Swisscontact Tanzania
Plot no. 105, Pamba Street
P.O. Box 48, Morogoro
Tanzania

+255 765 459 916