Beatrice Lyimo, a founding Director of the Inuka Tusonge Foundation taught Dianna Snape Swahili in 2013 and their friendship, respect and ideals have been shared ever since. Beatrice holds a Bachelor of Education with an English Major and History Minor from the University of Arusha (Tanzania) and supports herself and her two young children working as a Swahili Language teacher.

With a loan from a local women’s association, The Inuka Tusonge Foundation was established in January 2020 by Beatrice, Levina and Gudila, three tertiary-educated Tanzanian women who identified a gap in education provision for vulnerable women and girls in the Arumeru District. The centre’s main purpose is to help the students acquire valuable life skills and improve their overall employability through skills-based training in areas such as hairdressing and beauty services, baking, tailoring and vegetable cultivation. Beatrice reached out to Dianna for funding to support the on-going operations and equipment needed to keep the centre viable.

The Inuka Tusonge Foundation is registered as a charity in Tanzania (00NGO/R/0897) and the centre is managed by founding Director Beatrice Lyimo.

Shoring up empowerment and independence for vulnerable women, is ultimately what lies at the heart of Nina Imani’s ongoing partnership with the Inuka Tusonge Foundation.

The centre’s on-going operations are fully funded by Nina Imani, we provide governance support for best practice, review fiscal reporting and foster outcomes.

Inuka Tusonge’s vocational centre provides skills-based training in areas such as hairdressing and beauty services, baking, tailoring and vegetable cultivation.

Supplementary education aims to foster entrepreneurial potential and build individual capacity by developing English-language skills, broader personal and social competencies, as well as business planning and employability skills.

Through providing students with knowledge and resources to develop their own small businesses or enterprises across a range of industries, the goal is to foster entrepreneurial and business management skills as well as technical skills to ensure that the young women can maintain employment and establish financial independence.

Along with the monetary benefits of financial independence, it is crucial to developing a positive self-image and sense of capability. This empowerment and development of individual capabilities in vulnerable girls and young women is a core focus of the Inuka Tuonge Foundation. Women who are empowered through the fostering of employability skills and paid work are more likely to become positive role-models and advocates for their families and communities, especially on issues of health and well-being, gender inequalities and human rights

Students are selected in consultation with village leaders to identify young women most in need as well as those motivated to engage and change their circumstances.

Courses run for 12 months, 5 days per week, complimented with a 3 month field study working with local hotels and employers to give students practical insights into a workplace environment. Students are provided a healthy lunch and reusable period underwear. A graduation ceremony is held at the completion of the course for students who meet the attendance requirements and successfully master the skills taught.

Designed to help graduates transition from the classroom to the workforce, the Inuka Tusonge Foundation’s mentoring program helps former students identify how their new skills might be utilised to secure their future financial independence and security.

Graduates don’t just acquire skills, they form a valuable support network and establish new friendships.

Graduates have gone on to start their own small businesses cooking Bagia and Mandazi. Others have been employed in hospitality, as tailors, hairdressers, and as porters on Mt Kilimanjaro through our partnership with Akila Africa.