Microfinance: How Emattan Empowered Over 300 Small Tanzanian Businesses

Small businesses are the backbone of thriving communities, but access to capital is often a major barrier to getting started. Emattan saw an opportunity in Tanzania to change that narrative by providing microfinance support to help over 300 regular everyday Tanzanians to launch their own businesses.

Microfinance is more than just small loans. It’s about providing the chance to start or grow a business to people who don’t have access to traditional banking services or entrepreneurial education. Some loans were just one dollar, and in Tanzania, this little amount went a long way.

This initiative also formed a business accountability group. As a community run system, people were able to keep each other accountable and help each other succeed. They help each other identify business ideas with potential, provide small loans tailored to their needs, and offer ongoing training and mentorship to ensure long-term success. This way, we could make sure that every loan we give is backed by the support necessary for the business to thrive.

The success of these 300+ businesses has had a profound ripple effect. It’s not just the entrepreneurs who benefit; their businesses create jobs, stimulate local economies, and inspire others to pursue their dreams. In this video you can see how some of these dreams became a reality and how now these people can foster a spirit of self-reliance.

While we’re proud of the 300+ businesses we’ve helped start, our work is far from over. Emattan is committed to expand our efforts to develop self-reliant people. After seeing how motivated the Tanzanians are, we have bought a property in Kisarawe to create vocational and agricultural training. Not only can a community have funds to start a business, but we want to help them obtain the knowledge and skills to ensure their success.

Through our program, hundreds of people have been able to transform their lives and communities. We hope these Tanzanians inspire you to be a part of this movement — whether by support Emattan’s mission, sharing these stories, or pursuing your own business dreams.