Tanzanian official thanks China for empowering women in poverty alleviation

Summary:

• Tanzania’s government thanked China for supporting women’s economic empowerment. Minister Dorothy Gwajima highlighted China’s donation of sewing and hatching machines to Tanzanian women entrepreneurs, aiding poverty alleviation. This was announced during her ministry’s budget presentation for 2024/2025.

The government of Tanzania expressed gratitude to the Chinese government on Friday for supporting women’s economic empowerment efforts aimed at alleviating poverty.

Dorothy Gwajima, minister of community development, gender, women and special groups, told parliament in the capital Dodoma that the All-China Women’s Federation had donated 425 sewing machines and 250 hatching machines to Tanzanian women entrepreneurs last month, which is expected to stimulate their motivation toward economic emancipation.

Gwajima made the remarks while presenting her ministry’s budget estimates for the 2024/2025 financial year, which starts on July 1, 2024, and runs until June 30, 2025. “The sewing machines and hatching machines will be distributed to women across the country, igniting their drive toward economic emancipation,” Gwajima said.

Through the government’s women empowerment strategy, 1,023 women have received loans for fishing boats, and 446 women have been provided with aquaculture cages, she added.

On April 29, Chinese Ambassador to Tanzania Chen Mingjian said that the donation was a vivid manifestation of the China-Tanzania friendship and close people-to-people bonds, noting that China has always prioritized cooperation with Tanzania to improve the livelihoods of women, children and special groups.