Hannu Happonen 
Tanzanian Lucy found her own path and built a thriving business. Fida and the Free Pentecostal Church of Tanzania’s Tunandoto programme is transforming women’s lives all across Tanzania.
The afternoon sun bakes down on the streets of Lindi. It is sweltering, well over 30 degrees. The nearby Indian Ocean pushes the humidity to more than 95 percent.
We step into a shop on a busy street and meet Lucy Mlaponi. She is surrounded by colourful fabrics and clothing she is selling.
Three years ago Lucy took part in a Tunandoto training on how to make batiks. She explains the process she learned during the course – a training that gave her the courage to start her own business.
“I am supporting my family”
Today, Lucy sells pieces of handmade batik cloth as well as clothes sewn from it. She is clearly proud of her shop and her products.
When asked if this has made a difference in her life, her face lights up in a captivating smile:
– I thank God that through Tunandoto I learned how to make batiks. It has totally changed my life. This project is a good project because here in the south, most of us were asleep. This has awakened us. I have been able to buy a plot of land. My children have been able to go to school. I am supporting my family.
Then she leaned forward with a glint in her eyes, almost whispering:
– I bought a plot!
She was letting us in on a secret: it had really changed her life.
Not only has the training impacted her own life – she is also willing to share her skills with others. Lucy has been training other women to do the same.
– I am like a model for others, Lucy remarks. After the training, I have continued learning more skills. I have trained other women and have even been invited by other organisations to teach. Just last month I went to another district to train women. Tunandoto was the one that gave me the breakthrough.
Women are transforming communities
Lucy’s story is just one among many. Thanks to our work, thousands of women in East Africa have been given the chance to build their own future. In 2024, more than 6,400 women learned new skills to strengthen their livelihoods, over 3,200 families gained a regular income, and through savings and loan groups the assets of more than 7,000 families grew.
In Tanzania, hundreds of families increased their income and 65 sustainable businesses were established – some of them by women with disabilities.
This is work that changes lives, from individual families to entire communities, and its impact will carry on to future generations.
Fida’s Tunandoto programme in Tanzania is part of Finland’s development cooperation.
