Swisscontact Tanzania, in partnership with the training provider Food Information Tanzania (FIT), through the SET project funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) through the Embassy of Switzerland in Tanzania, continues to champion youth empowerment. The initiative equips young people in Mkuyuni Ward, Morogoro District, with practical skills for self-employment, particularly in spice processing and value addition.
During the last six months, these young people got trained in food processing and value addition by Food Information Tanzania (FIT), one of Tanzania’s consulting firm which support food system in terms of production, packaging, transportation and certification. The youth demonstrated during the graduation ceremony held in Mkuyuni, their newly learnt skills through cooking demonstrations and presentations of their products. Swisscontact and its implementing partners not only celebrated these achievements but also facilitated connections between graduates and stakeholders who can support their entrepreneurial journeys.
Over 168 youth completed vocational training in food processing, including spice-making (such as the spice mixes “Pilau Masala” and “Tea Masala”) and baking. For the SET project, this graduation marks another milestone in its mission to equip poverty affected youth with market demanded skills so that they can start to generate income.
One of the graduates, Rehema Fadhili, shared how she regained hope thanks to the training:
The ceremony was more than a celebration, it was a platform for practical experience sharing. Graduates organized cooking demonstrations featuring dishes like pilau, rice, and meat prepared using their homemade spices. Guests had the opportunity to taste the food, offering graduates a chance to attract future customers through firsthand experience of their products.
The event was graced by the Guest of Honour, Mkuyuni Ward Executive Officer Mr. Kirion Lungwa. In his speech, he remarked:
The SET project empowers out-of-school youth and young single mothers in Morogoro and Iringa with market-relevant skills and entrepreneurship training, particularly in the agriculture sector. In the last three years, SET has trained more than 9000 youth, 76% are female.
This project is financed by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) through the Embassy of Switzerland in Tanzania. It is implemented by Swisscontact.