In 2005, ARF initiated five groups comprising of 105 women in Mkuranga District. They started farming by using water wells made available to them in their farmland. Ever since, they have started other projects like sewing groups, organic chicken farming, which brings extra income for themselves and their families.

TUMEAMKA GROUP, MWANZO MGUMU GROUP, NJIA PANDA GROUP, IMANI GROUP, JIPE MOYO GROUP.

African Reflections works with African craftsmen and women who would otherwise be unemployed. By providing fair payment for products, along with consistent purchases and advances, the artists are able to provide education, health care, food and housing for themselves and their families.

The craftsmen are trained in quality control among other things to insure their items will appeal to the International Market.

African Reflections Foundation uses profits from the company to initiate development programs and projects in impoverished rural communities across Africa.

The ancient Maasai tribe are well known for their traditional medicines including roots and bark from trees however, as a result of harsh impoverishment due to drought, it is common to see Maasai Women sitting on roadsides with a small table where they display their medicines trying to earn a living.

African Reflections Foundation initiated a group of Maasai women (Ushanga Crafts Women) to create high quality beaded necklaces by making the funds available for the weavers to work regularly for African Reflections Foundation.

The scourge of unemployment in rural communities of Africa can be tackled by identifying and empowering entrepreneurs, whose small emerging enterprises can be an effective means of job creation in rural Tanzania.

Water Changes Everything

WATER transforms communities. Preventable waterborne diseases are drastically reduced. Long walks to seasonal rivers and swamps are no longer necessary. Time spent collecting water is reduced, offering women a chance to earn an income and children a chance to get education. Water brings people together and offer improved health, thus a better quality of life and hope for a better future.

Women groups

The availability of water for irrigation encouraged women to engage in farming activities. Five groups were initially formed in five different villages and were supported with starter kits for small scale farming. They produced vegetables for family consumption and for sale at the local markets in the villages and in the city. In 2008 the mushrooms project was started for women. These agricultural activities were done under the supervision of an agricultural expert from the Ministry of Agriculture. The farming activities have benefited the groups in providing their families with fresh vegetables, employment opportunities for women, an income and improve their health status in general. The ARF hopes that the scheme would encourage the villagers to be self-supporting in their endeavor to combat poverty.

Oyster Mushrooms Cultivation

Due to Cashew nuts failure to produce in some villages of Mkuranga District, namely Mwalusembe, Kitonga, Kisele and Mpilu villages, the local people looked for alternative crops to be produced locally. Due to dry season whereby rivers and wells tend to dry, African Reflection Foundation has taken the initiative to get their women groups to start cultivating mushroom which has a good price in the local markets in Dar es Salaam.

Mushroom type known as Oyster Mushroom (variety mammal) will now be one of the projects which ARF groups will introduce this new crop as an alternative to improve income and poverty elevation.

Oyster Mushrooms which are proven to help HIV/AIDS victims improve their immune system have now become a popular vegetable and have also become a delicious dish in a local restaurant.

ARF is talking to major Hotels to buy the crops from the women as part of their support for poverty education in rural villages.

This Project is done jointly with the women and men of the villages as they provide the Bandas (Huts) while ARF provide the materials which are costly, name of the organic bags, sawdust, compost rings and the seeds.

The Mushrooms are grown on a one hundred organic basis, no chemicals, no fertilizers or pesticides are used.