NMB Bank on Sunday handed over 12 return tickets to facilitate leaders of two special groups that include petty traders 'machingas' and 'bodabodas' operating in Dar es Salaam set to embark on a five-day learning tour to Rwanda's capital Kigali that commences today.
The trip initiated by the Dar es Salaam Regional Commissioner Mr Amos Makala a few months back sought to give the special groups' leaders on-hands experience on how to manage and operate their activities in a well-organised manner thus improving their efficiency.
Speaking during the handover ceremony held in Dar es Salaam, the NMB Chief Internal Auditor, Mr Benedicto Baragomwa, said the bank believes the unique study trip will be a catalyst for the smooth operations of activities in Dar es Salaam city.
"As a development partner, we believe this will be a unique learning experience since Kigali is perceived to be the cleanest and organised city in Africa at the moment.
"We believe the special groups' leaders will be in a position to implement all the lessons learnt during the trip back home and this will enable Dar es Salaam city to make strides in terms of organisation as well," Mr Baragomwa said.
He noted that officials from the bank will also be accompanying the leaders of the special groups to learn more about banking products in Rwanda's banking sector that could be introduced in the Tanzanian market.
"Seeing is believing. NMB officials will also be accompanying the delegation to familiarise themselves with various products available in the Rwandan market that we could capitalise on," he added.
He said that as one of the market leaders in Tanzania's banking sector, the bank is committed to continuing investing in research to come up with more tailor-made products to cater to the interest of various special groups across the country.
"We have already introduced various special groups' products, for instance, 'MastaBoda' to cater for the interests of special groups," he said adding as of December last year, some 3.5bn/- had already been disbursed.
The Dar RC Makala during the event said the special group's study trip to Kigali, Rwanda will help to fast-track organisation of various special groups operating in Dar es Salaam.
"Our mission is to ensure that activities in Dar es Salaam are done in a more clean and convenient environment.
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Am glad that NMB has finally come on board to support this noble idea and I believe that the lessons learnt if implemented well back here will enable Dar es Salaam to compete favourably with Kigali in terms of organisation and cleanliness," Mr Makala said.
He urged the special groups' leaders to capitalise on the Kigali trip to build more networks with businessmen in Kigali that will in turn help to grow the volume of trade between Dar es Salaam and Kigali.
The Dar es Salaam Bodaboda Federation Chairman Mr Said Chenja during the event expressed optimism that the trip will enable leaders to acquire practical and managerial skills for the smooth running of activities in Dar.
"We are anxious but at the same time excited about the trip. We thank all the partners including NMB and the Dar es Salaam Region office for facilitating this trip.
"As leaders, we promise to put into practice all the best practices that we will learn to make Dar es Salaam city convenient and competitive," he said.
