Kigoma — KIGOMA: A STRATEGIC plan has been developed to increase the number of women entrepreneurs doing cross-border trade in Kigoma Region.

The strategic plan has begun to be implemented by training 27 participants, including business officers of Kigoma regional councils to build their capacity to provide education to small entrepreneurs in the region in order to increase the number of women entrepreneurs doing cross-border trade.

The Programme Analyst of the United Nations Organisation for Gender Equality (UN WOMEN) in Kigoma Region, Michael Jerry said this during the closing of the six-day training for the participants in Kasulu District in Kigoma Region over the weekend, which is held under the umbrella of the Kigoma Joint Programme (KJP).

Jerry said that the training held in collaboration with UN WOMEN, the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and the International Trade Centre (ITC) aims to set strategies to reach women entrepreneurs in Kigoma Region to penetrate the East African market due to the great opportunity in existing markets.

"The training aimed to enhance access to markets, knowledge, skills and tools necessary to optimise local, national and international opportunities," Jerry said.

Speaking about the training, the trade officer from Kigoma Ujiji Municipal Council, Baraka Mfubusa said that it has been a great resource for them to enhance their skills and knowledge in providing training.

On her side, a food vendor entrepreneur from Kibondo District in Kigoma Region, Swaumu Ahmad said that the market opportunity for East African countries is great but many entrepreneurs do not have information about the market situation, especially women entrepreneurs and many are afraid to cross the border based on the challenges they hear that exist in the borders.