By Robin Holzhauer

[Tanzania, September 2022] A dream, determination, and desperation propelled Tanzania’s Adelaide Mwasyoghe to aid farmers and lessen food waste by beginning her own business, Orchard Avocado Oil.

After graduating with a degree in hospitality and tourism, Mwasyoghe lined up an industry job with a scheduled start date of April 2020. But in March of that year, the deadly COVID-19 pandemic shuttered the industry and she lost the offer.

“It was just a horrible situation,” she said. “I was looking for any job. I had no experience. I thought, ‘I need to do my own business.’”

COVID also severely slowed Tanzania’s international trade and export markets dried up. Selling in local markets often brought in less income than it took to get the product to consumers. This left a huge supply of unsold avocados. Inspired by her grandfather, who grew avocados, she researched starting an avocado oil company.

Mwasyoghe’s research showed she would have enough supply for her needs even after trade resumed because high export standards mean that smaller fruit or ones with superficial blemishes are often not purchased. That leaves plenty of product to harvest for oil making.

She had a business idea, but not the expertise nor capital needed to be a successful entrepreneur. Then she heard about the U.S. government’s Academy for Women Entrepreneurs (AWE). She worried that because had only the business concept, she might not get in.

“Lucky for me, AWE is not only for women who have a business, but for those who have an idea, a dream,” she said.

Dreams are literally a part of AWE, as it uses Thunderbird School of Global Management’s online Dreambuilder course as a component of the experience. Fellowship and opportunities to connect with experts also ensure women get the knowledge, networks, and access they need to launch or grow their business.

Mwasyoghe did face a hurdle to participate in AWE – a five-hour bus ride to attend some sessions. She turned to family for help so she could afford to reside in Iringa. Her grandfather became her chief campaigner – appropriate since as a child she “learned everything first-hand from him” about farming.

“He was so encouraging,” she said. “He was one of my first advocates.”

Dreambuilder helped her learn business basics, decide her idea could work, and design a business plan. Mwasyoghe credits the facilitators and mentors for putting the information into a local context and bringing real world experience to the women.

At AWE’s conclusion, she had a plan for success and applied for an AWE grant from the U.S. African Development Foundation to purchase an avocado press to extract the fruit’s oil, without which she could not start the business. A partnership between the U.S. State Department and USADF gives select AWE alumnae funds to put their ideas into action.

“I came to AWE with a dream, and left with a business,” she said. “But it is more than a business. It’s a passion, a mission, a crusade.”

A passion to grow a successful enterprise and help others along the way. Mwasyoghe oversees all aspects of the company, including traveling to the different villages during harvest time to work with farmers, and ensure the quality of the process and the product.

She has two full-time, year-round employees and also hires 20 additional people during the avocado processing seasons. She works with three farming cooperatives that comprise about 200 people, more than half of them female farmers. Her products also serve an environmental interest because of the resources needed to grow avocados. Every avocado not harvested is a waste of those resources, Mwasyoghe said.

The creation of Orchard also supports the U.S. embassy in reaching its goals, including promoting inclusive and sustainable economic growth and gender inclusion. As a U.S. “ExchangeAlumna” Mwasoghye will have the opportunity to support and mentor other women entrepreneurs.

“My friends are from AWE, I cooperate in business with the women, I try to use products from other AWE women,” she said.

As an AWE alumna, helping others motivates Mwasyoghe to keep growing her business, as does “paying forward” the assistance her family and others gave her.

“I am so grateful,” she said. “What you gave me – I am really proud of myself. It has all been possible because of AWE and because of the USADF grant, I am really grateful to you all…you are really changing lives.”

The U.S. Department of State’s Academy for Women Entrepreneurs is implemented in Tanzania by the organization Selfina through the U.S. Embassy in Dar es Salaam. Since 2019, AWE has benefitted 160 Tanzanian women entrepreneurs.

For more information about AWE, visit: https://eca.state.gov/awe

For more information about AWE in Tanzania, visit: https://www.facebook.com/AWETanzania