Entrepreneurs who attended the modern business practices training offered by the College of Business Education (CBE) have urged financial institutions to offer low-interest loans to help them expand their capital.

They made this appeal yesterday after receiving certificates from the Ilala District Commissioner, Edward Mpogolo, during a brief ceremony held at the college grounds in Dar es Salaam.

Aneth Bambo, a resident of Chanika, expressed her gratitude to the Rector of the college, Prof. Edda Lwoga, for providing women with the opportunity to attend the training, which she said has broadened their understanding of various business concepts.

However, Bambo pointed out that many women entrepreneurs struggle to grow their businesses due to limited access to sufficient capital from financial institutions, leaving them stuck with the same level of business operations and capital.

"We appreciate the training, but financial institutions should also provide loans with favorable terms to help us grow our businesses. I urge CBE to continue offering such programs. There are many women out there who lack business education—please reach out to them and provide similar opportunities. If they receive training like this, they can greatly improve their businesses," she said.

Rachel Mtambo, a businesswoman and resident of Chanika, added that many women are hesitant to participate in such training programs but emphasized the benefits, stating that the knowledge they gained has transformed their approach to business.

"Often, we engage in business without understanding the fundamentals and best practices, so CBE’s decision to provide us with this training is a significant and commendable step. However, it is crucial to ensure the sustainability of such programs because there are many women who need this education," she said.

Mtambo also called for financial institutions and banks to offer more favorable loan conditions to women, enabling them to grow their businesses and scale up their operations.

Khadija Said, a trader from Mbagala, shared that she used to operate her business on a small scale, but the training has empowered her to improve her enterprise. She praised CBE and Equity Bank for offering the educational program.

"I really hope this training reaches women at the grassroots level, including small street vendors, so they too can enhance their businesses. Women are powerful change-makers, and when empowered, they improve their family’s economic situation, leading to a better quality of life," she said.

Equity Bank’s Training Manager, Martin Rajabu, expressed the bank’s pride in partnering with CBE to provide entrepreneurship education across the country, noting that many women run businesses without the necessary skills.

"We believe that small-scale entrepreneurs are key to driving the rapid growth of our country's economy. Therefore, we will continue to collaborate with CBE to ensure that more women entrepreneurs benefit from this education," he said.