Women traders to benefit from training on cross border trade

By Beatrice Philemon

Tanzania Women Chamber of Commerce (TWCC) Director Anna Matinde

Small and medium entrepreneurs involving in cross border trade from nine regions across the country would benefit from what they export following a UN training support to meet EAC and SADC market needs.

The training is being carried out under the auspices of United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and Women Empowerment.

Tanzania Women Chamber of Commerce (TWCC) Director Anna Matinde revealed this yesterday at the end of training of trainer’s course for women entrepreneurs doing cross border trade organized by SIDO and TWCC with the support from UN women.

Some 25 trainers from Kigoma, Tanga, Arusha, Kagera, Katavi, Kilimanjaro, Mbeya, Mtwara and Dar es Salaam were trained for six days on cross border trade issues to train entrepreneurs.

The issues covered included regulations, their rights, tariffs, products required in the market and other issues relating on cross border trade.

She said: “This is new designed by TWCC in collaboration with SIDO to help small scale entrepreneurs engaging in cross border trade understand and follow export producers.

It also aimed at understanding their rights, rules and regulations required at border and once they want to export their goods.

Matinde called on small entrepreneurs engaging in cross border trade to pay the required 18% of VAT.

“I have had face -to-face discussion with TRA officers and customs officers at Horiri on border in Moshi to discuss various issues relating to cross border trade issues and how they can help Tanzanian entrepreneurs export their goods successfully.

She announced that TWCC now has project on enhancing women entrepreneur’s competitiveness and opportunities to benefit from regional and international trade supported by UN women. TWCC office is located at SIDO Headquarter.

She praised UN Women and International Labour Organization (ILO) for supporting the trainers.

Meanwhile Women Entrepreneurship Programme Coordinator (WED) Happines Mchomvu noted that during the training trainers were trained on women rights and cross border trade, business contract and negotiations.

Other topics included traceability, barcode intellectual property rights, business financing, documentation and standards so that they can prepare training methodology to train women entrepreneurs involving in cross border trade in EAC and SADC market.

“As TWCC we express thanks for UN Women to support TWCC so that they can implement their planned activities to support cross border women entrepreneurs,” she said

Through the planned training women entrepreneurs involving in cross border trade will manage to export and import goods more effectively and understand what is required once they need to export their goods as well as improve their businesses.

TWCC has decided to embark on training programme after learning that majority of women entrepreneurs engaged in cross border trade don’t know their rights and responsibilities.

Their lack of knowledge on cross border regulations has made them victims at the hands of officials who demand bribes at Namanga border.