609117 - Ajira Sawa

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Summary of Advisory Services Project Information

Project Number

609117

Primary Business Area

Other

Disclosure Date

May 25, 2026

Country

Tanzania

Region

Africa

IFC Approval Date

Feb 13, 2025

Status

Active

Estimated Total Budget

$1,137,644.00
(Project budget includes all project-funded activities)

Last Updated Date

May 26, 2026

Project Estimated Start Date

Mar 1, 2025

Project Estimated End Date

Dec 31, 2027

Client Legal Name

Zanzibar National Chamber of Commerce ,Association of Tanzania Employers (ATE) ,EQUITY BANK TANZANIA LTD

Project Description

Ajira Sawa will partner with 30 large companies across agribusiness, manufacturing, tourism, mining, and financial services to promote quality jobs for women. The project will support leading firms—including IFC investees and pipeline clients—to adopt and implement gender-smart policies and practices that attract, recruit, retain, and promote women, and will expand women entrepreneurs’ access to assets and markets. Implementation aligns with IFC sector priorities and the Country Partnership Framework (CPF), embedding gender-smart solutions through a peer-learning platform, firm-level advisory, generation of research and insights, and media capacity building to position the business case for investing in women as leaders and entrepreneurs and to transform company workforces, leadership, and supply chains. To ensure sustainability, Ajira Sawa is partnering with the Association of Tanzania Employers (ATE) and the Zanzibar National Chamber of Commerce (ZNCC) to engage companies operating on the Tanzania mainland and in Zanzibar. Leveraging ATE and ZNCC’s strong convening power—combined with the capacity building they will receive—the project is designed to enable continued implementation beyond its duration.

Development Results

Ajira Sawa seeks to increase women’s participation in Tanzania’s private sector—both as employees and as entrepreneurs—by helping companies adopt and implement gender-responsive workplace policies and practices to attract, recruit, retain, and promote women, including those at the base of the pyramid. The project also expands market access for women-led businesses. As one of five initiatives under the IFC Tanzania Country Gender Program, Ajira Sawa contributes to closing gaps in women’s access to quality jobs, financial and non-financial services, and markets across the country.

E&S Risks / Impacts and Mitigation

Performance Standard	Description and Potential Impact	Mitigation
PS 2. Labor and Working Conditions	The Ajira Sawa project is an advisory services program that supports private sector companies in Tanzania to improve women's employment outcomes, leadership representation, and workplace inclusion. While the project does not finance or manage company operations, it engages firms on issues that fall within the scope of Performance Standard 2 (Labor and Working Conditions), including employment practices, workplace culture, and institutional mechanisms to prevent and respond to inappropriate workplace behavior. In some companies, gaps may exist in relation to gender equality, prevention of sexual harassment and gender-based violence and harassment (GBV/SEAH), freedom of association and collective bargaining, grievance handling, and alignment with international good practice on child labor and forced labor prevention. These gaps are context specific and preexisting and may affect women's ability to participate safely and equitably in employment and leadership.	Labor and working conditions risks are addressed through advisory engagement and capacity building, rather than operational control. Ajira Sawa supports participating companies through diagnostics, peer learning, and targeted advisory support to strengthen internal policies and practices aligned with the principles of Performance Standard 2. This includes promoting respectful workplace practices, prevention and response to GBV/SEAH, nondiscrimination, effective grievance mechanisms, and leadership commitment to inclusive employment. The project draws, as appropriate, on IFC Environmental and Social specialists and the GBV Center of Expertise to inform advisory work. Given the advisory nature of the project and the absence of direct employment or operational activities financed by IFC, no standalone labor management plans or enforcement mechanisms are required.
PS 1. Assessment and Management of Environmental and Social Risks and Impacts	If institutional social risks are not adequately identified and managed, the effectiveness and sustainability of project outcomes related to gender equality and womens leadership may be reduced. Weak internal systems or limited management attention to social risks may constrain companies ability to translate advisory support into lasting organizational change. The potential impacts are indirect and limited, reflecting the advisory nature of the project and IFCs lack of involvement in company operations. No environmental impacts are expected.	Environmental and social considerations are addressed through a program level approach consistent with the advisory scope of Ajira Sawa. The project integrates social risk considerations into its implementation through firm level diagnostics, structured advisory support, and monitoring of commitments related to inclusive employment and leadership. The project draws on IFC technical expertise, including Environmental and Social specialists, as appropriate, to guide companies in strengthening internal systems and practices aligned with good international practice. Given the absence of physical activities or direct operational engagement, no standalone Environmental and Social Action Plan is required.

This Summary of Advisory Services Project Information (ASPI) is prepared by IFC to disclose a factual summary of the main elements of this advisory services project. It may also include findings and recommendations related to environmental and social considerations regarding this project. The purpose of the ASPI is to enhance the transparency of IFC's activities. For any project documentation or data included or attached herein, whether prepared by the project sponsor or otherwise, authorization has been given for public release by the client. IFC considers that this ASPI is of adequate quality for release to the public, but has not necessarily independently verified all of the project information therein.
It is distributed within sixty days of project's approval and may be updated periodically afterwards. Total budget and start dates are estimates only. The following ASPI is disclosed in accordance with IFC's Access to Information Policy (AIP) that went into effect on January 1, 2012.

The map is for illustrative purposes and does not imply the expression of any opinion on the part of the World Bank, concerning the legal status of any country or territory or concerning the delimitation of frontiers or boundaries. Country borders or names do not necessarily reflect the World Bank Group's official position. In some cases, available project location information is limited to the country of the project's activities. Locations are approximate.

Indicator	Cumulative
Number of entities that implemented recommended changes	0
Number of recommended procedures/firm-level policies/practices/standards that were improved or eliminated	0
Number of entities receiving in-depth advisory services	null
Number of workshops, training events, seminars, conferences, etc.	null
Number of entities receiving advisory services	null

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