Increased Income for Njiapanda Women Group through Food Vending Project: A Case of Nduguti Village, Mkalama District, Singida Region.

Tesha, Daniel Richard (2025) Increased Income for Njiapanda Women Group through Food Vending Project: A Case of Nduguti Village, Mkalama District, Singida Region. Masters thesis, The Open University of Tanzania.

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Abstract

This study aimed to improve the economic well-being of the Njiapanda Women Group in Nduguti Village, Singida Region, through a structured food vending initiative. It was motivated by the need to address the socio-economic challenges facing rural women, such as limited capital, inadequate business skills, and poor access to markets and infrastructure. A participatory Community Needs Assessment (CNA) confirmed that food vending was a culturally familiar and low-cost activity with the potential to provide sustainable income for the women involved. Using a mixed-methods research design, the study collected both qualitative and quantitative data from 65 randomly selected households to better understand the community’s economic profile and the viability of the food vending model. The findings showed that most women had low education levels and relied on subsistence farming or petty trade. However, the strong sense of community, demand for ready-made food, and the women’s willingness to work collectively made food vending a feasible income-generating option. The project adopted a rotating leadership model to ensure equity and capacity-building among all members. The project was successfully implemented through business training, securing a vending site, and launching daily food services. This led to increased daily income, improved financial literacy, and stronger group cooperation. The study concludes that with proper training, infrastructure, and community support, food vending can be a powerful tool for empowering rural women. Keywords: Women’s Economic Empowerment, Food Vending, Community Needs Assessment, Income Generation.

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