Recognizing that Women Action Towards Entrepreneurship Development is group comprising dynamic profession well trained on issues of employment, finance management, Legal matters, health matters, and information technology. WATED is established to foster within the Women Economic Empowerment Programs of Tanzania a greater sense of responsibility to the matters pertaining access to entrepreneurship information, mentorship on starting business programs, Advocacy of Health, Employment and Legal Issues for the benefit of all people of Tanzania.

WATED activities were implemented through realization of national development policy such as Tanzania’s National Five-Year Development Plan (2016/2017 – 2020/2021), under the coordination of the Ministry of Finance and Planning, aspires to ‘nurturing industrialization for economic transformation and human development.’ This vision requires Tanzania to embark on swifter and broader social and economic transformation. The Plan recognizes that income growth is still lower than the trajectory articulated in the Tanzania Development Vision 2025 of raising the average GDP per capita to US$ 3,000. Issues of skill gaps are wide when compared to the demands for developing and managing a semi-industrialized economy, where citizens can enjoy quality livelihoods. The implementation of WATED activities were in line with international development agenda thus Millennium Development Goals and then Sustainable Development Goals 1;.5;6;13;16 and 17.

In first years of WATED engagement and working with other stakeholders, country’s fertility data reflects 5.4 children per woman in the 15-49 childbearing age group. Of this group, more than 60 percent reside in rural areas, where development, employment choices and economic opportunities are far scarcer when compared to urban areas. Thus, was among pulling factors towards WATED activities in rural and peripherals of the city, but specifically wo work with partners in respective areas since they understand gaps and opportunities in respective to issues which WATED wanted to implement.

WATED took a Cognicase that the existing disparity in development and opportunity is a human rights issue. While working to effect swifter and broader social and economic transformation, the government mandates the Local Government Authorities (LGAs) work to ensure existing structures promote and protect human rights. Such rights are enshrined in the international instruments, most of which are subscribed by Tanzania through various laws including the national constitution. Several human rights principles stipulated in the current bill of rights are rights to equality and non-discrimination. These could be interpreted to include equal rights to developmental opportunities.

It is our firm belief – the complementarity of work by NGOs working can help to close the gap and help those residing in rural and developing communities access the same level of economic success as their urban counterparts.

With realization that Tanzania is a signatory to international development agendas including Sustainable Development Goals 2030 and Africa Vision 2063, among others, which aim to give communities more control of their own development. Complementing this direction is a movement to positively shift attitudes among Tanzanians toward work and self-efficacy and the individual agency required to help implement development plans.

As a key partner in this work, WATED programs complement government efforts in development and prosperity to all Tanzania, rural and urban, without discrimination. While much work remains, we are beginning to realize the positive outcomes of our work.

According to 2011/2012 Household Budget Survey, poverty is becoming more responsive to economic growth. Basic needs poverty declined substantially from 34.4 percent (2007) to 28.2 percent (2012) and food poverty from 11.7 per cent to 9.7 percent. This marks the first major decline in poverty in twenty years – and consequently, the Human Development Index shows an increase from 0.466 (2011) to 0.521 (2014). Outcomes in education, health, water and nutrition improved, though overall levels continue to remain low.