International Development Grant
Local Enterprise Development
Project Number: CA-3-D000847001
Status: Closed
Country/Region:
Maximum Contribution: $14,853,066.00
Start Date: March 31, 2015
End Date: March 31, 2020
Duration: 5.0 years
Project Description
The project aims to help small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to secure contracts for the provision of goods and services to businesses working in the agricultural mining and gas sectors in Tanzania with attention to the additional challenges faced by women-led SMEs. Focusing on four regions (Lindi Mtwara Lake Victoria and Iringa/Njombe) the project seeks to create 2 500 new jobs and to ensure more market-driven and gender-responsive business development services to SMEs by selected institutions benefitting up to 1 760 SMEs. Project activities include: (1) providing experts to offer hands-on coaching and mentoring to SMEs; (2) establishing mentoring relationships between Canadian/international firms and 40 Tanzanian SMEs to increase understanding and application of good business practices; (3) supplying innovative technological inputs to 50 competitively selected Tanzanian SMEs to increase productivity; (4) assessing the financial readiness of 160 SMEs and facilitating linkages to potential investors and financial institutions; (5) conducting analyses on cultural and social barriers for women to grow their businesses; and (6) providing training and mentoring to local partners on how to deliver market-driven and gender-responsive business development services to SMEs. The project is implemented by Cuso International in partnership with VSO-Tanzania and works with three Tanzanian organizations: the Tanzania Women Chamber of Commerce Small Industries Development Organization and the Tanzania Chamber of Commerce Industries and Agriculture.
Expected Results
The expected intermediate outcomes for this project include: (1) increased sustainable revenues and employment levels of small and medium-sized enterprises in value chains in the extractive and agribusiness sectors; and (2) enhanced market-driven and gender-responsive business development services delivered to small and medium-sized enterprises by selected institutions in targeted regions.
Progress & Results Achieved
Results achieved as of the end of the project (March 2020): (1) provided 1 865 small enterprises (1 063 led by women) with business development services. These include training advisory support and access finance technology and new markets through 3 enterprise innovation hubs; (2) created 2 759 new jobs (1 219 for women) in value chains related to foreign direct investment in the extractive and agribusiness sectors; (3) 75% of small enterprises recorded an increase in profit and 68% reported accessing new markets for their products; (4) 82% of small enterprise owners improved their skills and knowledge with a significant majority of women owners reporting greater confidence in negotiating with men and more decision-making power over their businesses; and (5) improved the capacity of 3 national implementing partners to assess market trends and design appropriate business development services. This includes services responding specifically to women entrepreneurs’ needs by at least 50%.
Key Information
Executing Agency:
Cuso International
Reporting Organization:
Global Affairs Canada
Program:
WGM Africa
Last Modified:
September 19, 2025
Development Classifications
DAC Sector:
Aid Type: Project-type interventions
Collaboration: Bilateral
Finance Type: Aid grant excluding debt reorganisation
Selection Mechanism:
Unsolicited Proposal