Zainab Msafiri Msuya, a 33-year-old mother of two from Tanga City, had always been determined to support her family. But like many women in her community, she faced significant barriers—limited access to formal training, few economic opportunities, and minimal exposure to digital technologies.
“I used to watch others use computers or design posters and think: maybe that’s not for me,” she said.
With most jobs in Tanga still tied to traditional retail or informal trade, digital work seemed distant reserved for others with connections, devices, or degrees.
In 2022, Zainab joined the Digital Skills for Employment Opportunities Project, part of the TangaYetu program supported by Fondation Botnar. The project aimed to empower youth and women with practical 21st-century skills—including digital marketing, computer literacy, and design.
She was one of 100 participants in the initial cohort. By the end of the program, 50 youth—including Zainab had not only completed the training but walked away with skills they immediately applied in real-world contexts.
The project was practical, mobile-friendly, and locally delivered. Zainab learned to use Canva for design, enhanced her knowledge in digital marketing, and practiced applying these skills through real-life assignments.
“This project didn’t just benefit me,” Zainab later reflected. “It was a bridge for others who now come to me for guidance—especially those who didn’t grow up with access to these skills.”
Armed with digital skills, Zainab launched Aghenan General Suppliers, her own business. She started designing marketing materials, posters, and invitations not only for herself but for other entrepreneurs, local religious leaders, and even her younger brother, a professional footballer.
She began managing Instagram pages, offering freelance social media support, and eventually secured a consultancy role with the TangaYetu team, helping expand their communication and digital reach.
“I design weekly posters, birthday graphics, wedding invitations, and business flyers directly from my phone,” she explained. “It’s a skill I carry with me everywhere I go.”
“Education is something I carry with me. Even if I don’t have a computer, I have the knowledge.”
She even managed live social media coverage for events hosted by Next Step Foundation in Kenya, expanding her network and portfolio beyond Tanzania.
Zainab’s story is not an exception, it is a glimpse into what is possible when access meets determination. Through TangaYetu, she was able to leap from digital exclusion to digital entrepreneurship, building both livelihood and confidence.
“The skills I gained didn’t end with me,” she said. “I’m determined to teach others so they won’t miss out on what I was fortunate enough to learn.”
TangaYetu’s program helped 46 youth secure short-term jobs with companies like Tigo and Nelwa’s Gelato, with total income earned by participants exceeding TZS 10 million in six months. Others have launched small businesses, offered digital services, or gone on to provide technical support in their communities.
As the program enters its next phase under the management of INNOVEX Development Consulting Limited in collaboration with Tanga City Council and the support from Fondation Botnar, there’s a clear opportunity: scale what works. Expand mobile-first training for young women. Build partnerships with local SMEs and schools. And invest in mentorship pipelines like the one Zainab has become part of, where learners become trainers, and opportunity keeps multiplying.
In Zainab’s hands, a phone became more than a communication device—it became a design studio, a classroom, a bank, and a bridge to community empowerment.
The next Zainab is out there, in Tanga or elsewhere, just waiting for a window to open. With the right investment, we don’t just close the digital divide—we let youth like Zainab lead us across it.