Dar es Salaam. The CRDB Bank Foundation (CBF), in partnership with the German development agency GIZ, has unveiled a funding window worth over Sh3 billion to empower businesses owned and run by women and youth across Tanzania.
The initiative, launched on Tuesday, September 16, 2025, links CBF’s Imbeju programme with GIZ’s Ajira Ye2 project.
It aims to provide business management training, financial literacy, and affordable financing to small, medium, and emerging enterprises.
Speaking at the launch, CBF Managing Director, Tully Esther Mwambapa said the new facility seeks to strengthen young and women-led businesses so that they can generate more employment and boost household incomes.
“For years, CRDB Bank Foundation has been running training seminars. Our partnership with GIZ is meant to transform lives. Together, we have allocated over Sh3 billion to support 325 businesses, which are expected to create an additional 510 jobs within a year,” she said.
According to her, entrepreneurs from Zanzibar, Dar es Salaam, and Morogoro are encouraged to apply by demonstrating how their businesses will generate decent jobs while protecting the environment.
Priority sectors vary by region. In Dar es Salaam, focus areas include agriculture, waste management and recycling, renewable energy, climate-friendly construction, and clean energy value chains.
For Zanzibar, emphasis will be placed on blue economy activities such as seaweed farming and aquaculture, natural products including spices and cosmetics, as well as eco-tourism.
In Morogoro, the scheme targets climate-smart agriculture, agro-processing, and eco-friendly packaging.
Beneficiaries will also gain access to mentorship by seasoned entrepreneurs, business management workshops, trade fairs, and concessional capital of up to Sh30 million.
“We are also partnering with government institutions such as TRA, BRELA, TBS, SIDO, and NIT to help these enterprises grow sustainably,” Ms Mwambapa added.
The application window, which opened on September 16, 2025, will close at 11:59 pm on October 16, 2025.
Forms are available at CRDB branches in Dar es Salaam, Morogoro, and Zanzibar, or can be downloaded from the CRDB Foundation website.
For his part, GIZ’s Acting Project Lead, Dennis Mbangulla, said the programme builds on the WE4D initiative launched in 2024 with support from Germany’s BMZ, Norway’s NRAD, and the European Union, which seeks to empower women in green sectors and those with limited economic opportunities.
He noted that the new partnership with CBF is designed to uplift enterprises spearheaded by women and youth, helping them thrive in competitive markets.
