Digital Literacy Tanzania, United Republic of Project #30346

Help Tanzanian Youth Make Tech to Help Themselves

by Twende

Project Report | Nov 6, 2025
Tanzanian's with Innovation and Practical Skills

By Epifania Peter Wilbard | DIRECTOR OF PROGRAMS

Over the past three months, our project has continued to empower Tanzanian youth to design and create technology-driven innovations that address community challenges. Through training, mentorship, and access to the makerspace, young innovators have developed practical solutions in energy, agriculture, and waste management , improving livelihoods and inspiring a culture of creativity.

Activities and Achievements

1. Skills Development Workshops
We conducted capacity building workshops at Twende’s makerspace in Arusha and Kilimanjaro, reaching 52 young people (aged 18–28).
Participants learned:

Design thinking and human-centered design
Basic electronics and prototyping
3D printing and local material utilization
Business model development

2. Jamii Tech Incubation
In August, we launched the Jamii Tech program — an initiative which provides young innovators with mentorship, technical support, and access to equipment to prototype their ideas. Participants co-created solutions ranging from smart irrigation systems to low-cost food preservation technologies.

3. Prototyping and Innovation Support
Out of all participants, 10 teams successfully built working prototypes. Three standout projects include:

Ges smart- An electronic device to track the gas usage and alert the user once its about to fininsh.
Smart Irrigator: a soil-moisture-based irrigation controller helping smallholder farmers save water.
Smart Trolley-An electronic component to simplify shopping process from supermarkets

4. Mentorship and Exposure
Each team received technical mentorship from local engineers and entrepreneurs. Two teams have now entered incubation programs to further develop their innovations into sustainable ventures.

Impact

52 youth trained in innovation and prototyping
10 prototypes developed to address local challenges
2 startups progressing toward commercialization
40% of participants were young women, an encouraging step toward inclusivity in tech innovation

Participant Voices

“I never thought I could turn my idea into something real. Twende helped me believe that innovation can start small, with what we have.”- Rehema, participant from Arusha

What’s Next

In the next quarter, we aim to:

Support prototype improvement through mini-grants
Connect innovators with local partners and markets Your support through GlobalGiving continues to make a tangible difference in the lives of young Tanzanians. Each donation helps us provide tools, materials, and mentorship that unlock potential and drive local innovation.

Together, we are nurturing a generation of problem-solvers and change-makers.

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Jul 11, 2025
Empowering Tanzanian Communities Through Innovatio

By Epifania Peter Wilbard | Director of Programs

As part of Twende’s broader mission to empower Tanzanian communities through technical innovation, this initiative focuses on equipping especially youth with hands-on technology and problem-solving skills. By fostering creativity and practical learning, the program enables participants to design and develop solutions that address real-life challenges in their communities.

Impact and Community Engagement

Through the Creative Capacity Building (CCB) program, we have successfully engaged numerous communities across Tanzania. Participants,many of whom are youth who have contributed unique perspectives and a strong sense of purpose to our makerspace. Their dedication has led to the creation of impactful, community-driven projects that respond to local needs.

Key Achievements

This initiative has driven meaningful outcomes, including:

Youth Internship & Mentorship

Offering a structured internship that includes mentorship and coaching for youth who spend significant time at Twende, developing technological innovations.

Access to Innovation Tools

Provision of essential tools and materials to support sustained prototyping and innovation.

Development of Community-Oriented Technologies

Participants have designed and built functional, locally appropriate technologies, such as:

Solar Dryer: Used to dry fruits and vegetables, reducing post-harvest loss.

Potato Planter: A motor-powered tool that simplifies the process of planting potatoes.

Plastering Machine: A motorized solution that reduces manual labor and time required for house plastering.

Automatic Milking Device: Eases the milking process by reducing human effort and saving time.

These technologies not only address real-world challenges but also highlight the creativity and technical capacity of our participants especially youth are the tomorrow’s problem solvers

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Jun 23, 2025
Tech Empowerement for Women

By Epifania Peter Wilbard | Director of Programs

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