Need for platform to take into consideration women entrepreneurs who don't possess smartphones

Zanzibar Stakeholders advocate for rural women in business who don’t have smartphones to be taken into account in the development of the platform A two-day stakeholders meeting from 14th November to 15th November 2019 was held in Zanzibar City at Maru Maru Hotel. The primary objective of the workshop was to showcase and promote the digital networking platform to Project Country Team and other stakeholders especially women entrepreneurship Organizations. The meeting was attended by members of Zanzibar Project Country Team followed by Women Entrepreneurs Organizations which include Private Sectors and Civil Societies. Speaking in his welcome remarks, Mr. Suleiman Haji, the Director of Zanzibar Economic Empowerment Fund from the Ministry of Labor, Empowerment, Elders Women and Children stressed that this project will solve the market problems especially for women entrepreneurs who are in the rural areas.” The achievement of this project will enable African women from regional economic communities to connect and speak, which will foster peer to peer learning, sharing of knowledge and information and finding market opportunities to sell their goods and products across borders and between countries” he added. Ms. Mary Makoffu, the Director of Social Service Affairs who opened the meeting on behalf of the Deputy Secretary General (Productive and Social Sectors) Hon. Christophe Bazivamo explained that, EAC team came to showcase the Platform including its features and functionalities as well as the content. She requested the participants to provide inputs and feedback that will be used for further improvement of the Platform. “The Platform will be only useful if it is being used” she emphasized. After the opening remarks, Mr. Wilson Muyenzi, The Project Coordinator, explained to participants the process outlined on how to download and install the platform using smartphones and laptops. The participants had a chance to discuss the importance of the platform and recommended that the platform should include features and functionalities that can enable women in business in rural areas using feature phones to benefit. Women Entrepreneurs Organizations present at the meeting also appreciated the initiative which they find to be coming to complement the efforts geared towards women economic empowerment and pledged their commitment to use the platform for the betterment of their businesses and entrepreneurship.