The Tanzania Renewable Energy Business Incubator (TAREBI) is a two-year program designed to enhance the skills of graduates who have completed electrical and solar energy studies in technical training institutions located in Iringa and Dodoma.
The program aims to empower them to establish and expand clean energy businesses, offering solutions in rural areas.
On November 1st, 2021, IMED Foundation initiated the third stage of TAREBI (Tanzania Renewable Energy Business Incubator – Phase III).
Youth-led start-ups face a severe problem of access to finance as a result of low levels of skills, lack of experience and limited networks.
To address this challenge, the IMED Foundation supports them in three steps. Those who demonstrated a readiness to start the energy entrepreneurship journey by creating some business activity with their skills and time and preparing a compelling business plan are offered small performance-based seed funds.
In the next step, IMED Foundation links them to solar energy importers and distributors for trade credit and government empowerment funds for credit with soft terms. In the third phase, we guide and link them to access bank loans.
With the support of the C.S. Mott Foundation, IMED Foundation offered competitive seed funds in the form of solar energy tool kits to 12 promising applicants out of 40 incubates who have been selected for the equipment seed fund award, Lucy Sabas Edward was among these incubators, representing the sole female out of the 12 selected individuals.
Lucy’s journey began in 2019 when she enrolled in electrical engineering training at Don Bosco College in Dodoma for a three-year course specializing in Electrical and Solar Installation.
“I have always watched my aunt engaging in her technical work, which sparked my interest and love for this profession. So, when I got the opportunity, I joined the training. Moreover, there’s a shortage of technicians, especially in my rural area. Hence, I aspired to become a community saviour and assist with electrical-related matters,” says Lucy.
This 25-year-old young lady joined the TAREBI program after completing her electrical engineering studies at Don Bosco in Dodoma in 2021. She joined TAREBI to gain guidance on business operations and to deepen her understanding of electrical and solar technical work. Additionally, she sought to grasp the fundamentals of business, from registration to establishing a presence within the community as a service provider.
“We’ve undergone a process during the training and managed to acquire advice on business aspects such as registration, operations, and enhancing community awareness of my work. Considering that I’m a young woman, there have been many obstacles, but through TAREBI, I’ve learned and understood techniques to work professionally, so that I can mitigate these challenges,” says Lucy
Currently, Lucy is conducting her business in Dodoma. She mentions that a challenge she is facing is that at times the community struggles to trust her due to her being a girl; therefore, they believe she cannot perform well, leading to difficulties in securing contracts and jobs.
However, there is also a scarcity of jobs due to the high number of male artisans. Even if a job opportunity arises, people tend to prefer hiring a male over her because they believe he would perform better.
This situation leads to difficulties in saving money because job opportunities are not easily available. As a result, she’s compelled to use the money she has saved since jobs don’t come consistently
“Temptations in the workplace are inevitable, especially considering I am a girl. It’s quite common for someone to express romantic interest, assuming that you’re doing the job out of necessity. Little do they know, I pursue this work because I genuinely love it. I aspire for other girls to engage in this occupation too, to create their income and break free from gender-based harassment,” says Lucy.
Lucy also says that this business is profitable because if she finds a job, it helps her take care of small expenses. However, it has also helped her start a pig farming business and earn extra income.
Lucy is also helping the community by addressing electricity challenges and continuing to promote the use of safe energy, especially solar energy. She can install long-lasting solar power systems due to the training she received from Don Bosco, as she assesses the electricity needs of her customers.
Participation of girls in programs like these is limited because many believe they are incapable, and even those who join often feel lost along the way and perceive themselves as unable to continue.
This leads to the lack of female role models in technical fields leading to a small number of female technicians in our societies. This, in turn, discourages other girls from pursuing technical careers, as they believe that these fields are only for men.
Lucy expresses her gratitude to IMED for providing her with this valuable opportunity, as it paves the path towards realizing her aspirations. She believes that this experience will not only enable her to achieve her personal dreams but also empower her to support other young women and youth.
Lucy enthusiastically encourages her fellow young women to embrace such programs without fear. By doing so, they can liberate themselves from violence and simultaneously establish their own sources of income.