Strengthening Women’s and Youth Skills to Drive the Blue Economy

As part of its commitment to promoting meaningful inclusion of women and youth in the blue economy, the RESEA Project—implemented by Mission Inclusion, Women Fund Tanzania Trust (WFT-T), and Ocean Hub Africa—rolled out a structured mentorship incubation program across six districts in Pemba and Tanga.

Held from August 11–24, 2025, the program engaged 206 participants, including 166 women and 40 men. Of these, 119 were youth (92 female and 27 male), while 87 were adults (74 female and 13 male).The mentorship combine soft skills development with entrepreneurship capacity-building.

The mentorship focused on enhancing soft skills including leadership and communication and for the entrepreneurship skills, focused on business planning and identification of essential equipment for enterprise growth

Through interactive coaching, group-appointed mentors enhanced their ability to lead peer learning initiatives, while mentees applied the skills gained to address real challenges within their groups, draft business plans, and prioritize operational tools.

From the mentorship, it was noted that Participants have demonstrated notable progress despite initial challenges related to varying knowledge levels and coordination dynamics One mentor reflected: _“When I remember where I’ve come from, even I’m amazed at myself. I truly desire to see other women transformed as I have been, and I’ll pursue this with passion through my role as mentor,”—_Italic Mtumwa Salim Ali, Female Youth Mentor, Mtu ni Yupi Group, Mkoani District, Pemba

It was also noted that following the bootcamp, Mwendaji si Mkaaji Group showcased exceptional leadership adaptation. After a group dialogue session on leadership and communication, they collectively see the need to make reforms in their group leadership to make it more accountable and suit their need.they democratically introduced three new internal committees to enhance accountability, support top leadership, and distribute responsibilities more equitably.

“We never thought we could reach this far, but the mentorship showed us that with planning and teamwork, nothing is impossible. The training gave us the confidence and skills to turn our ideas into action,” shared a group member.

The incubation program highlighted the transformative impact of soft skills coaching rooted in gender equality principles. Women and youth are not just participants—they are emerging as leaders and influencers within their enterprises and communities.

By sustaining this momentum, strengthening internal governance systems, and providing ongoing technical support, the RESEA Project is positioned to catalyze lasting, inclusive change in the blue economy across Tanga and Pemba.

The mentorship builds on previous bootcamps and capacity assessments, positioning BEE groups to transition from subsistence-level operations to sustainable, growth-oriented enterprises. This integrated approach is strengthening enterprise readiness, improving governance, enhancing operational efficiency, and empowering women and youth to confidently take on leadership roles.