STANBIC, GIZ AND SSB EMPOWER DODOMA FOOD ENTREPRENEURS WITH BUSINESS SKILLS AND CLEAN COOKING SOLUTIONS

Stanbic Bank Regional Manager for Dodoma, Joan Mbise (left), hands over an energy-efficient stove to food vendor, Magdalena Lusinde shortly after an entrepreneurship training session for food entrepreneurs held in Dodoma. The training was sponsored by Stanbic Bank.

Head of the Biashara Incubator Unit at Stanbic Bank, Kai Mollel, speaks with some women food vendors from Dodoma Region who attended an entrepreneurship training session for male and female food vendors organized by the bank in Dodoma.

Initiative Expands Support for Tanzania’s Informal Food Sector

Dodoma, Tanzania - 19 May 2026: Stanbic Bank Tanzania, through the Stanbic Biashara Incubator, in partnership with Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) and Said Salim Bakhresa & Company Limited (SSB), has expanded its RISE Mama Lishe programme to Dodoma, empowering 320 women and youth food entrepreneurs with business training, financial literacy skills and energy-efficient cooking stoves.

The Dodoma engagement marks another milestone in the national programme first launched in Dar es Salaam in November 2025. Since then, the initiative has reached entrepreneurs in Dar es Salaam, Arusha, Kilimanjaro and Tanga, with Dodoma now serving as a strategic hub in broadening the programme’s national footprint.

The initiative aims to strengthen Tanzania’s informal food sector by helping entrepreneurs improve business operations, reduce operational costs and adopt cleaner, safer cooking solutions.

Supporting Inclusive Growth and Clean Cooking Adoption

Through the 2025–2026 cycle, Stanbic Bank and GIZ are targeting to empower 2,000 women and youth entrepreneurs through entrepreneurship training, financial literacy, clean cooking awareness and practical business support.

In Dodoma alone, 300 participating entrepreneurs will each receive an energy-efficient stove designed to reduce fuel consumption, lower smoke exposure and improve workplace safety.

The programme also aligns with Tanzania’s national clean cooking agenda and supports the country’s 2032 clean cooking target by encouraging the adoption of improved cooking technologies while reducing dependence on charcoal and firewood.

For many Mama Lishe and Baba Lishe operators, the support extends beyond cooking equipment. The improved stoves are expected to lower fuel costs, create safer working environments and allow entrepreneurs to focus more on business growth and customer service.

Building Stronger Small Businesses

The RISE Mama Lishe initiative builds on Stanbic Bank’s broader commitment to small business development through the Stanbic Biashara Incubator. Over the past three years, the bank has supported more than 3,000 Mama Lishe entrepreneurs through training, mentorship and financial literacy programmes aimed at improving business sustainability and resilience.

Speaking during the Dodoma session, Kai Mollel, Head of Stanbic Biashara Incubator, said the programme reflects the bank’s commitment to inclusive economic growth.

“Mama Lishe and Baba Lishe are not small players in our economy. They feed communities, support families, create daily income and keep local markets active. Through RISE Mama Lishe, we are helping them move from survival-based operations to stronger, safer and more structured businesses,” said Mollel.

She added that the provision of energy-efficient stoves delivers practical impact for entrepreneurs on a daily basis.

“An energy efficient stove is more than a cooking tool. For a food entrepreneur, it means lower fuel costs, less smoke, safer working conditions and a better foundation for growth. This is the kind of practical support that changes how small businesses operate every day,” she noted.

Partnership Driving Practical Change

Lisa Zschunke, Programme Manager at GIZ, said the collaboration demonstrates how enterprise development and clean cooking initiatives can work together to improve livelihoods and create sustainable community impact.

“By equipping women and youth food entrepreneurs with business skills and energy efficient stoves, we are supporting safer working conditions, better cost management and more resilient small businesses,” said Zschunke.

The training sessions under the programme focus on entrepreneurship mindset, business planning, pricing, customer care, food hygiene, digital business skills and financial management, equipping entrepreneurs with practical knowledge that can immediately be applied in their businesses.

Advancing Financial Inclusion and Economic Participation

Stanbic Bank said the initiative reflects its long-standing commitment to supporting women- and youth-led enterprises, job creation and financial inclusion across Tanzania.

The programme also aligns with the bank’s broader mission of driving economic growth by investing in communities and enterprises that contribute to everyday economic activity.

As the RISE Mama Lishe programme expands to more regions, Stanbic Bank, GIZ and SSB say they remain committed to building stronger local businesses, accelerating clean cooking adoption and creating sustainable economic opportunities for women and youth entrepreneurs across Tanzania.

About Stanbic Bank Tanzania

Stanbic Bank Tanzania is a leading financial institution providing banking solutions to individuals, businesses and institutions. The bank is part of the Standard Bank Group, Africa’s largest bank by assets, with operations in 20 countries across the continent. Through its regional network, Stanbic Bank connects Tanzania to continental growth opportunities and global financial markets.

Head of Sales and Marketing at SSB, Priya Ranjan (right) presents a gift to an entrepreneur.

Programme Manager GIZ, Lisa Zschunke (right) hands over an energy-efficient stove to a food vendor shortly after an entrepreneurship training session for food entrepreneurs held in Dodoma.