Building capacity in female entrepreneurs in Tanzania

Ali Akbar started as an economics student, but it took just one introductory course in international development to put him on a new path. “I’ve been engaged in my studies ever since,” says the fourth-year student, who switched to a double major in International Development Studies and Public Policy.

It was a natural fit for Akbar, whose interest in international affairs and development began while he was growing up in Lahore, Pakistan. He participated in Model UN conferences throughout high school and set up a not-for-profit organization to help provide underprivileged children in the region access primary education.

As a Queen Elizabeth Scholar, Akbar went to Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania, to work as a fundraising consultant for the Tanzania Women Chamber of Commerce. His work included creating a fundraising strategy, producing a database of potential donors and training members in the basics of fundraising. A highlight was delivering a presentation to 50 female entrepreneurs, he says. “I received positive feedback, and many of the attendees contacted me to further build on the knowledge I’d shared with them.”

But Akbar says he learned as much as he taught during his three months in Dar Es Salaam. On the professional side, he refined his proposal writing skills, which will help when he pursues a career in foreign affairs in a governmental capacity. In terms of personal growth, he says there were many rewards. “Working in a foreign culture and environment and managing to produce meaningful results was a source of achievement. I had many pre-conceived notions, or stereotypes, about the way of life in Tanzania, and most if not all of them were pleasantly shackled. These interactions enabled me to come out with a more holistic world view.”

Akbar also found time to experience the local sites, including a trip to the island of Zanzibar off the coast of Tanzania during Eid celebrations. “It’s a magical place,” he says.