60 Women, One Shared Vision: Building the Future of Women in Mobility in Tanzania

Three days. 60 women. One shared vision for a safer, more inclusive, and greener future of mobility in Tanzania.

From 29–31 July 2026, Our Voices Against Harassment (OVAH Tanzania), in partnership with GIZ Tanzania through the Women Employment for Green Development (WE4D) Programme, convened the Women in Mobility Bootcamp 2026 at Hotel Slipway in Dar es Salaam.

Building on the experiences and lessons of OVAH’s Pink Bajaji Initiative, the three-day bootcamp created a dedicated space for women drivers to strengthen the skills, knowledge, confidence, and connections they need to participate and thrive in Tanzania’s changing transport sector.

The bootcamp responded to some of the practical barriers women continue to experience in transport, including limited technical confidence, workplace harassment, financial vulnerability, and restricted access to professional networks and opportunities. Through expert-led sessions, practical demonstrations, discussions, and peer learning, the programme sought to strengthen women’s technical capacity, workplace safety, financial resilience, and professional growth.

More Than Driving: Preparing Women for a Changing Mobility Sector

Women’s participation in mobility is about more than increasing the number of women behind the wheel. It is also about ensuring that women have the skills, resources, safety, financing, and networks required to build sustainable careers and businesses within the sector.

The first day therefore placed women within the bigger picture of Tanzania’s emerging mobility and e-mobility ecosystem.

Participants took part in a basic vehicle mechanics refresher and e-mobility training, strengthening their understanding of their vehicles while exploring the changes and opportunities emerging as the transport sector transitions towards greener mobility.

This was followed by a panel discussion on “Breaking Barriers: Advancing Women’s Leadership in Tanzania’s Mobility and E-Mobility Ecosystem.” The conversation brought together different perspectives from across the sector, including a Pink Bajaji Initiative beneficiary, Ladies Joint Forum, TGNP, an e-mobility expert, and CRDB Foundation. Participants were able to contribute directly to the discussion, ask questions, and engage with stakeholders who influence different parts of the mobility ecosystem.

These conversations reinforced an important message: women should not only participate in the future of mobility—they should have opportunities to shape and lead it.

Making Women’s Safety Part of the Mobility Conversation

For women working in transport, professional growth cannot be separated from safety.

The second day of the bootcamp therefore focused on sexual harassment and gender-based violence in transport settings, creating space for women to understand and discuss the risks they may encounter in their everyday work. This was complemented by practical self-defence training, strengthening participants’ preparedness and situational awareness while working and moving through public spaces.

Participants themselves highlighted how the training strengthened their confidence, awareness of their surroundings, and preparedness to navigate their work more safely.

For OVAH, integrating safety into women’s economic empowerment is fundamental. Creating opportunities for women to enter traditionally male-dominated sectors must be accompanied by deliberate efforts to address the harassment, violence, discrimination, and other barriers that can prevent women from remaining and progressing within those spaces.

Strengthening Financial Resilience and Access to Opportunity

Economic participation becomes more sustainable when women are equipped not only to earn an income, but also to manage, save, invest, and grow it.

Throughout the bootcamp, women reflected on their daily income, expenses, savings, investments, debt, and the financial challenges affecting their work. On the final day, participants received dedicated training on financial literacy and money management, followed by a session led by CRDB Foundation on financing opportunities for women in e-mobility businesses.
The sessions connected financial knowledge with practical opportunities, helping participants think beyond daily earnings towards longer-term financial resilience, business growth, and asset ownership.

The bootcamp also created space for networking, enabling women drivers to build relationships with one another and engage with institutions and professionals across the mobility ecosystem.

Building a Community of Women Driving Change

One of the most important outcomes of bringing 60 women drivers together was the opportunity to build community.

Women working in sectors where they remain underrepresented can often navigate similar challenges individually. The Women in Mobility Bootcamp created a space where participants could exchange experiences, learn from one another, establish professional connections, and recognise that they are part of a growing community of women changing Tanzania’s transport landscape.

The final day provided an opportunity for participants to share feedback and testimonials, connect through a dedicated networking session, and celebrate the completion of the bootcamp through certificate awarding.

The three days demonstrated what becomes possible when women are connected not only to skills, but also to networks, institutions, financing opportunities, safety resources, and one another.

Partnership in Action

The Women in Mobility Bootcamp was made possible through the partnership between OVAH Tanzania and GIZ Tanzania through the WE4D Programme, demonstrating the importance of collaboration in creating pathways for women to participate meaningfully in Tanzania’s growing green economy.

OVAH extends its appreciation to TGNP and Ladies Joint Forum for joining the bootcamp and contributing their experience and perspectives to conversations on women’s leadership and participation in mobility.

We also appreciate Enabel Tanzania, GIZ, and CRDB Foundation for engaging with the women drivers and sharing information on asset financing and economic opportunities that can support women to build sustainable livelihoods within the mobility and e-mobility sector.

Most importantly, we celebrate the 60 women drivers who committed three days to learning, sharing their experiences, asking questions, building new relationships, and investing in their professional growth.

The Road Ahead

Through the Pink Bajaji Initiative, OVAH continues to demonstrate that women’s economic empowerment, safety, and environmental sustainability can be advanced together.

Our vision extends beyond supporting women to become drivers. We want to see more women own transport assets, build sustainable businesses, access financing, participate in e-mobility, influence the sector, and lead Tanzania’s transition towards safer and greener mobility.

The Women in Mobility Bootcamp represents another step towards that future.

60 women. Stronger skills. New connections. Greater confidence. And a growing community of women driving change.

As Tanzania’s mobility sector evolves, women must not be left behind.

They must be part of the transition—and they must have the opportunity to lead it.


Written by Modesta Joseph.