Grant Awards for SMEs: Project Kuongoza Digital Skills Accelerator for women-owned businesses
The 2024 Project Kuongoza Digital Skills Accelerator program announced its winners for the Tanzania pitch day edition on the 17th of May 2025. The accelerator program was a 6 months program aimed to support young-women and underrepresented entrepreneurs to imagine, launch and grow sustainable and impactful businesses through tailored support, training on digital skills, community and partnerships. 35 women were shortlisted to present their business pitch, strategies and present to 4 Judges for a grant award of $2,500 amongst three winners. These women-owned businesses span from various business sectors like Fashion, Agriculture, Beauty & Wellness, Arts & Design, Baking, Photography, etc.
The accelerator pitch day was a virtual session with Judges from the Next Hub, an initiative of Ennovate Ventures in Mwanza region, Tanzania, ThriveGlobal Consulting, Berlin, Germany and Timiza Ndoto initiative, Botswana. Each of the finalists were given 5 minutes window to present their business and pitch before the judges who also evaluated finalists based on their power of storytelling, verbal and non-verbal communication, pitch effectiveness, visibility and feasibility of their business, financial soundness and sustainability, their business solutions to the existing market problems and their overall call to action.
The first winner of the Project Kuongoza accelerator pitch day was Violeth Mahugi, the founder of Eazy Pesa Financial Service limited, a microfinance institution established to expand access to credit for individuals and communities traditionally excluded from mainstream financial systems. Violeth Mahugi was awarded ($1,000 = 2,585,000.00 Tanzanian Shillings)
The second prize winner was Nyuki Asili limited, founded by Mary Kopwe and awarded ($800 = 2,068,000.00 Tanzanian Shillings). Nyuki Asili is a natural-beauty and wellness brand that specializes in crafting high-quality products made from bee-derived ingredients such as beeswax, honey and propolis-sourced directly from trusted local beekeepers.
The third winner was Loveness Kimaro, the owner and founder of ArtMade Africa. Art-made African company is a socially innovative social enterprise dedicated to addressing environmental, health and gender-based economic inequalities in Tanzania. They utilize kitenge fabrics, remnants of sofa materials, textile scraps, old clothing, used feed or rice sacks and plastic bags and turn them into culturally inspired items. Art-made African company was also awarded ($700 = 1809500.00 Tanzanian Shillings).
Since 2020, the Project Kuongoza program has pioneered a unique approach to mentoring over 5,670 young women and girls across Africa, provide business support activities to 1008 women, utilising a mix of exclusive networking events, peer-to-peer support, hands-on workshops and 1:1 mentoring consultations to level the playing field and ensure all undergraduates, graduates and entrepreneurs, whatever their background, are given the chance to make their mark.
Through the achievements of the cohorts, we hope that these women entrepreneurs will be able to take control of their business growth by mastering the financial landscape and confidently moving forward toward purpose-led success.