Empowering women entrepreneurs in Tanzania: Khadija finds her voice at the table through improved cookstoves
Khadija Hamad Abdalah, an entrepreneur and mother of three, sits alongside her husband at a family meeting. Where once she may have remained silent, Khadija is now a respected voice. Through the success of her thriving improved cookstove business, she now speaks with confidence, making key decisions for her family.
Evolving an artisanal skill
200 km west of Dar es Salaam in Morogoro District, Tanzania, Khadija grew up learning how to craft traditional clay stoves from her mother. “After I mastered it, I decided to advance by learning more about other types of stoves,” Khadija explains. She was inspired by local stove producers working with the EnDev programme, implemented in Tanzania by the Dutch NGO SNV. They encouraged her to join in November 2020. Since then, she’s transformed her craft into a growing business: “My goal was to learn how to make improved stoves. Then, I could help myself and assist other women in this business, so that we could generate our own income.”
The training provided by EnDev also included business management and customer service. EnDev also supported Khadija to start radio advertising, which helped her reach more potential customers, especially in rural areas. After the advertisements aired, the demand for the improved stoves increased. And as her customer base grew, so did her income, allowing her to cover school fees for her children and provide stronger financial support for her family.
Facing resistance and fuelling change
The journey for Khadija hasn’t always been easy, especially at the start. “There was a bit of uncertainty because people were not familiar with improved cookstoves,” she explains. However, as Khadija shared the benefits – reduced fuel consumption, improved indoor air quality, and time savings – her customers began to make the shift.
There were also some issues at home: “When I started the business, I faced some challenges from my family, particularly from my spouse. He didn’t initially believe in the stove business.” Now seeing the success, Khadija and her husband are working as a team, both at home with the household chores and by assisting her in the stove production process. Her wider family are helping too, as Khadija’s brother-in-law explains: “At first, I thought she was just playing around. But later, I began to see the benefits. With the money from the stoves, she buys important items like roofing sheets, and I know for sure she is purchasing them because of her capital.”
I support her, and encourage her to keep going, not to give up, because I see how much it helps the family.
Muhidin Khamis Dotielo, Khadija’s brother-in-law
From a small artisan to a thriving business owner, Khadija’s journey is a testament to the power of equipping women with the skills and opportunities to succeed. “I have learned to be a confident entrepreneur who can envision their future”.
Looking ahead, Khadija has clear ambitions to open a large factory with many employees: “I am currently producing about 500 stoves per month; in the next 5 years, I aim to produce over 1,000 stoves per month. This is my dream – to grow my business.”
