FCS, Sido sign agreement to support MSMEs growth
What you need to know:
- The collaboration aims to support the growth of micro, small and medium enterprises, particularly those led by women, youth and people with disabilities
Dar es Salaam. The Foundation for Civil Society (FCS) has partnered with the Small Industries Development Organisation (Sido) to implement the Civil Society for Inclusive and Consumer-Centric Trade programme in Tanzania.
This collaboration aims to support the growth of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), particularly those led by women, youth and people with disabilities, while fostering inclusive trade practices.
At the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signing ceremony in Dar es Salaam, FCS executive director Justice Rutenge highlighted the importance of such strategic partnerships in advancing sustainable development and driving economic growth.
He emphasised that FCS’s extensive expertise in grantmaking, capacity strengthening, civil society engagement and strategic linkages will provide crucial support to Sido.
Through the partnership, FCS will help Sido to mobilise resources to advance inclusive trade initiatives in Tanzania, ensuring that at least 100 MSMEs owned by marginalized groups including women, youth, and persons with disabilities — have equal access to opportunities in trade and economic development. These enterprises are expected to contribute to the creation of 200 jobs and increase their incomes by 10 percent by the end of the three-year project.
FCS and Sido also aim to stimulate economic growth, reduce poverty and create employment opportunities by strengthening the MSME sector in Tanzania, aligning with FCS’s ongoing efforts to promote inclusive trade growth for all Tanzanians.
"SMEs are key contributors to job creation and global economic development. This partnership will leverage Sido’s extensive experience in promoting MSME growth across the country to ensure that Tanzanian entrepreneurs have the support they need to thrive," Mr Rutenge said.
Sido, a strategic partner, provides technical assistance, training, financial support, and access to markets for small-scale industries. The organisation focuses on enhancing the productivity, competitiveness, and sustainability of SMEs by offering business advisory services, capacity building, coaching and mentoring, and facilitating access to appropriate technologies. These efforts are vital in advancing inclusive trade and fostering economic growth.
Sido Dar es Salaam regional manager Hopeness Elia shared key insights into the partnership, highlighting their roles and responsibilities, which include facilitating incubator programmes to support 100 MSMEs with technical training in value addition, business development and marketing.
Sido and FCS will also collaborate to review and improve training manuals and guides for entrepreneurs focusing on those with disability and provide training on entrepreneurship skills, access to finance, and marketing opportunities for MSMEs.
Other objectives are the provision of linkages for entrepreneurs to compliance bodies and mentorship and advisory services, including assistance in preparing business plans, feasibility studies, and other business development needs.
The partnership complements FCS’s broader efforts to strengthen consumer protection and inclusive trade in Tanzania, aligning with its recent three-year grant agreement with TradeMark Africa.
The strategic partnership is supported by TradeMark Africa (TMA) and funded by the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), Ireland and Norway.
