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Finland Ambassador to Tanzania,
Sinikka Antila
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Tanzania has been
challenged to empower and support innovations of poor people which would
ultimately help the poor people themselves.
The
challenge was thrown yesterday by Finland Ambassador to Tanzania, Sinikka
Antila when speaking at a public seminar on the role of entrepreneurship,
innovation and incubation for development. The seminar was organised by Dar
Teknohama Business Incubator (DTBI) in collaboration with Tanzania Commission
for Science and Technology (COSTECH).
She
said poor people may have the best innovation ideas if given the chance to
participate.
“Inclusive
innovation in development means including poor people’s innovations just like
what scientists do in their labs and other scientific forums,” she said.
She
said there are many examples of innovations that have helped poor people to
survive in their everyday life.
“A
good example is the women telephone business in Bangladesh which is supported
by Grameen Microfinance Bank…. this simple business innovation has empowered
thousands of poor women in their communities as it helped them earn money to
sustain their families,” she said.
“A
simple adaptation of mobile phone airtime account became a bank for the poor
that had no real bank accounts. It has also made it possible for them to pay
bills and send money home from a distance,” she said.
She
said many innovations were not reaching the poorest of the poor because
innovation frameworks and policies are not pro-poor.
The
envoy said the collaboration between Tanzania and Finland under the
TANZICT-Tanzania Information Society and ICT sector development project is
encouraging.
This
project supports Tanzania in the revision and implementation of the national
ICT policy and supports the Ministry of Communication, Science and Technology
and the Tanzanian innovation programme with the total budget of 5 million Euros
granted by Finland.
DTBI’s
Chief Executive Officer, George Mulanula, revealed that Finland would support
them in terms of finance and training programmes.
“As
I speak to you, Finland has already donated 5 million USD to the Ministry of
Communication, Science and Technology which will be used in a period of three
years to pay personnel selected to review and improve the National ICT policy,”
he said.
He
said the main objective of the seminar was to understand the crucial linkage
between academia and industry in innovation and entrepreneurship.
The
seminar was also on understanding the role of incubation, innovation and
entrepreneurship in a developing economy like Tanzania saying that, COSTECH and
DTBI have received visitors from different organisations and entities to
understand the COSTECH/DTBI philosophy and model on entrepreneurship,
innovation and incubation.
The Guardian Tanzania