The event held at Buni Hub space in Dar es Salaam brought together 70 people from 30 different organizations from Dar es Salaam who have different mission around Tanzania social development. This combination was made to practically prove the networking process among social change makers in Tanzania specifically in influencing social entrepreneurship sector.
The forum closing remark was done by Mr. Peter Nyanda the Country Manager of Reach for Change Tanzania whereas Erick Chrispin the chairman of TASEF introduced the event and made a welcoming note to everyone.
“Social Network is central to social change and Social Entrepreneurship. It is a critical factor for mobilizing resources, support and acceptability of the Social Enterprising projects and ideas” - Zabron Kengera, Lecturer University of Dar es Salaam
This event is among the series of Tanzania social Entrepreneurship Forums which happens every end of each month throughout a year to discuss different themes around social entrepreneurship and innovation as a way to advocate for and promote social entrepreneurship and innovation approach in intervening the prevailing social issues in Tanzania.
These events also are made as platforms for connecting different social change stakeholders in Tanzania through the networking sessions so as to team up the process of influencing positive change in Tanzania.
For us, a social entrepreneur is person creating a startup to solve a social problem (in our case that improves the lives of children). - Josephine Msambichaka, Program manager, Reach For Change Tanzania
The presentation session was made up of four subtopics out of the main theme:
“The importance and impact of networks in influencing social entrepreneurship sector in Tanzania”
The 2nd Tanzania social entrepreneurship forum took almost 3 hours from 16.00pm to 19.00pm to its closure whereas networking was the closing session.
Together with our key note speakers, this event became a platform for our partners to show case their services by sharing with participants through presentation and promotional materials.
- Reach for Change Tanzania is one among the partners who did a marvelous presentation of their mission to support social entrepreneurs who solve children issues in Tanzania.
- Buni-Hub our host partner got an ample time to describe what they do to Tanzanians in promoting innovation on Information Technology at their creative space (Hub) in Dar es Salaam.
The event has significantly influenced many attendees to value the importance of connecting with other stakeholders when it comes to fulfilling and achieving their social development missions in Tanzania context.
- “The arrangement of topics around the main theme during this forum has been insightful and the skills redelivered are very relevant to our context.
- “I have managed to connect with new customers during networking session in the forum; I think this is an important place for entrepreneur to hang out too.”
Mr. Zabron Kengera the lecturer from University of Dar es Salaam, specialist in project management, strategic planning creativity, innovation and resource mobilization described the concept of social networks that is a description of the social structure between actors, mostly individuals or organizations. He shared more on its importance and what to do so as to network at personal level. With lots of relevant examples from his personal experience he was able to make the audience understand the whole concept of social networks in relation to social development in Tanzania.
Peter Millaga the Country Director of Investours Tanzania, a social enterprise with a mission to reduce poverty in Tanzania through offering free-interest micro loans to very young entrepreneurs in Tanzania stood as a case study during this event. He shared a lot on how social networks has moved Investours mission to higher success in Tanzania. Their connection with Maisha Microfinance and Covenant Bank in serving young entrepreneurs in Dar es Salaam was among his relevant examples on the case. Investours case was a good example to validate what the previous speaker presented.
It was Costantine Deus Shirati the researcher and communication officer at Science, Technology and Innovation policy research Organization (STIPRO) marked the end of key-note speakers presentations by analyzing the social network concept at expatriate level where he instead that social networks results to social capital which is one of the major business catalysts. He also shared the importance of developing social networks where he insisted to look at it as a social capital and form of investment in development which will always have Return on Investment (ROI)
Peter Nyanda the Country manager of Reach for Change Tanzania was the very last speaker in this event who did a closing remark. He thanked all the speakers and participants for a vibrant discussion but also insisted everyone to take his/her part in building our society since poverty level is growing if you think of the interlocking of different pressing social issues within our society and world at large.
Apart from networking session, there were hot discussions through questions and answers around the following topic:
- Social networks in relation to social development project
- "I am encouraged by this forum and I am certain that this is what the community need."
- "I suggest forum like this to reach many entrepreneurs in Tanzania with insistence of women entrepreneurs through their associations."
- "Key note speakers did a great job, their presentation had a lot for Tanzania entrepreneurs to learn and apply in their initiatives."
- "As social develop stakeholders in Tanzania we need to join power in organizing more forums of this kind for they are helpful in promoting development."
Contact Information:
Urafiki Flats, Block E, No. 11, Ubungo P. O. Box 13186 Dar es Salaam, Tanzania Tell: +255 (0) 653 808 032 Email: tasef.info@gmail.com Website: www.facebook.com/tasef.org Twitter: @tasef_info |
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