EA WOMEN EMPOWERMENT PROJECT TO TRAIN WINE MAKERS

WOMEN entrepreneurs in East Africa are to be trained in making finest wine as the market for the alcoholic drink rises.

The project is  spearheaded by the East African Women-in-Business Platform (EAWiBP) with the financial support of  GIZ, a German aid agency.

At least 200,000 Euros will be committed by GIZ for the initiative targeting small scale  wine makers in Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda and Kenya.

"Consumption of wine is increasing so we have to train women on how to capture the market", said Ms Janice Kimaro, the acting project coordinator. 

She revealed this at the Rock City grounds, the venue of the just-ended fair for small entrepreneurs from the East African Community (EAC) partner states.

"Women will be trained on making wine using friendly small bottles and by doing so diversify and expand their markets", she pointed out. 

Lately, wine is not only produced from fermented grapes but also from cactus, rosella, pineapple, banana, baobab,tamarind and other plants.

Ms Mwilongo Kambewe , a Dar es Salaam-based entrepreneur said wine was now a reliable source of income for small businesses run by women

She attributed this to support they were getting from the Small Industries Development Organization (Sido) and allied bodies in skills upgrade.

The others are the regulatory bodies like Tanzania Bureau of Standards (TBS) which, according to her, were now more supportive to them unlike in the past. 

The beverage can also be made from tomatoes, oranges and apples. "The market is big there " she explained.

Ms Kambewe was one of  the 28 women entrepreneurs from Tanzania who was sponsored to attend and display at the fair by GIZ.

She also came under the umbrella of the Tanzania Women Chamber of Commerce (TWCC) which had scores of exhibitors sponsored by TradeMark East Africa. 

A total of  485 SMEs represented Tanzania at the exhibition followed in number by those from Kenya (302), Burundi (139) and Rwanda (95).