Empower Grassroots Innovation In Tanzania

Twende continues to empower grassroots innovators in Tanzania through hands-on learning guided by a human-centered design approach. Over two months, the youth listened to communities, turned their findings into clear problem statements, and built working prototypes addressing local challenges in environment, agriculture and digital tech.

Key Achievements

• 13 youth trained in design thinking, prototyping and business modelling.
• 4 working prototypes built and tested, spanning environment, agriculture and digital tech.
• Teams ready to pilot and further develop their solutions, with clear next steps in place

Working Prototypes include;

1. Diaper &sanitary pads disaposal: An electric incinerator designed for the safe disposal of menstrual pads and diapers.
2. Organic waste shredder: A machine that turns food waste into compost, making the process faster and easier.
3. Cashew Nut Shelling Machine: A machine that cracks cashew shells, reducing manual labour and damage while saving time.
4. Soft Vision: A digital sales record system that uses CCTV cameras to help businesses record and manage sales more efficiently.

Skills and Confidence Gained

Skills include; Prototyping and hands-on building, digital fabrication, basic electronics, coding, business and venture planning, teamwork, communication, empathy, critical thinking, and confidence in presenting

Confidence in; Turning an idea into a working prototype, starting a venture, testing whether people actually need what they create, using unfamiliar tools and technology

Impact

• Real solutions: Four prototypes were built within two months, tested, and are ready for further development or piloting.
• Continued momentum: Participants plan to keep developing their projects.

Thank you for the continued support to empower grassroot innovators to solve community challenges.