By Matukio Daima Media
Girls from vulnerable backgrounds in Mufindi District, Iringa Region, including those who dropped out of school due to teenage pregnancy, have begun benefiting from vocational tailoring training aimed at equipping them with practical skills for self-employment and improving their livelihoods.
The initiative forms part of broader efforts to empower unemployed youth with marketable skills that will enable them to become economically independent and rebuild their future.
The training is being conducted at the Igoda Orphanage Hall in Mufindi, where participants are receiving both theoretical and practical instruction in garment making, tailoring techniques, and basic entrepreneurship. The beneficiaries say the programme has restored their hope and given them a realistic opportunity to build dignified and sustainable lives through productive work.
Among the participants, Olive Kisoma Mapanda and Adelika Kahisi Uhafiwa said that before joining the programme, they had lost hope of achieving their dreams after leaving school. They explained that teenage pregnancy interrupted their education and left them uncertain about their future.
According to the two participants, the tailoring course represents a new beginning. They expressed confidence that once they complete the training, they will be able to establish their own businesses, earn a stable income, support their families, and inspire other young women facing similar challenges.
"We never imagined we would have another opportunity after dropping out of school. Today, we believe we can build better lives through the skills we are acquiring. We are grateful for being recognized and given this chance to learn," said one of the trainees.
In addition to the tailoring programme for girls, the Mufindi District Council, in collaboration with the Youth Agency Mufindi (YAM), has also launched motorcycle repair and maintenance training for 48 vulnerable young people. The programme is intended to equip participants with technical skills that will enable them to secure employment or establish their own businesses, thereby contributing to household incomes and community development.
The training instructor, Gertrude Samson, said participants have demonstrated remarkable enthusiasm and commitment since the programme began. She noted that many trainees have quickly mastered practical skills and are already showing strong potential to become competent professionals in their respective trades.
She added that despite the hardships many participants have experienced, they remain determined to transform their lives through vocational education. She encouraged them to maintain discipline, work hard, and make effective use of the knowledge and skills they acquire so they can build successful careers and serve as role models for other young people.
Speaking on behalf of the project, Youth Agency Mufindi (YAM) Project Manager Zilipa Mgeni said the initiative is being implemented through a partnership involving the Mufindi District Council, Foxes Community and Wildlife Conservation (FCWC), and YAM, with financial support from the Government of Finland.
She explained that the project is being implemented in the wards of Mpanga, Tazara, and Mapanda in Mufindi District, with the objective of improving the livelihoods of young people and children from the most economically disadvantaged families. More than 120 young people are expected to benefit from vocational skills training and entrepreneurship development under the programme.
In addition to providing technical skills, the project also seeks to strengthen participants' entrepreneurial capacity by helping them establish small businesses, form production groups, and take advantage of available economic opportunities within their communities to increase their incomes and reduce dependency.
Meanwhile, the Government, through local government authorities, continues to empower young people by providing access to the statutory 15 percent development loans allocated to women, youth, and persons with disabilities. These loans are expected to enable graduates of the programme to obtain start-up capital for income-generating activities and small businesses after completing their training.
Development stakeholders believe that investing in vocational education for young people—particularly girls whose education was interrupted by teenage pregnancy or other social challenges—is an effective strategy for reducing poverty, creating employment opportunities, and promoting inclusive economic and social development.
Through programmes such as this, vulnerable young people are given a second chance to rebuild their confidence, regain hope, and create a brighter and more prosperous future.
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