Empowering school leavers in Tanzania to start innovative businesses

Where formal employment is scarce, young people can feel lost when they finish school. They have no capital, and little access to new business ideas.

MMF has funded training for 33 young people leaving school in partnership with Lyra in Africa. Our investment has kick-started a larger programme as the first young people train others in their communities and create employment through their businesses.

“I have a passion for animals. I started with just one chicken, and made doughnuts to get money for more chickens. The training helped me keep going when it was hard, and taught me to spot other opportunities.

I now have 145 chickens and sell eggs every day. I bought a hectare of land for growing sunflowers and maize. I saw that there was a lot of building going on in the village but builders were buying materials from far away, so I took a loan and now make £10 profit a day from selling cement.

I am helping my mum pay school fees for her other children and encouraging other young people to start businesses. I have a vision for the future and am planning to employ others.”

Fauster, age 20, School Leaver