Abouts us
Who We Are
Youth Self Employment Foundation (YOSEFO) is a Non Governmental Organization (NGO) registered in Tanzania under Societies Ordinance, 1954. The organization was found in 1996 with the objective of supporting employment generation among the youth through delivery of financial services and facilitating business and technical training services. The organization was established by individuals who had strong interest on promoting youth and women activities. Since inception, YOSEFO has worked work with deferent development partners that include African Development Foundation (ADF), KIVA, Financial Sector Deepening Trust (FSDT), Care International, Stromme Foundation, Plan International, Oiko Credit, Miche Association of Italy, Tanzania Investment Bank and Small Enterprise Loan Facility.
At Yosefo we Design and Implement sustainable programs that stimulate participation of Youth and Women development and be a lead catalyst in self employment and the war against poverty and discrimination of any type.
In 2002, YOSEFO got a pro-poor innovative award from CGAP. In 2007 YOSEFO partnered with Tanzania Forest Conservation Group (TFCG) in providing support through micro credit and business training to communities adjacent Northern Udzungwa mountain ranges and Amani Forest reserve. In 2012/2013 YOSEFO partnered with Kilombero Plantation Company and USAID funded Nafaka to provide both business/entrepreneurship training to smallholder farmers in Mngeta Village.
Our Mission
Our mission is to promote rural and urban development by assisting Youth and Women including those disabled by simplifying means of deploying available opportunities in maximizing profit, quality output and build skills of Self-employment and support community initiatives.
Our Vision
Our Vision is to Design and implement sustainable program that stimulate participation of Youth and Women development and be a lead catalyst in self-employment and the war against poverty and discrimination of any type.
Our History
YOSEFO is an independent development Tanzanian organization with a special focus on youth and women that economic empowerment through self-employment in income generating activities and micro and small businesses.
We have been operational in Tanzania since 1996 with initial work focusing on micro credit and training in response to high unemployment among youth and women. We operate in Dar es Salaam, Coast, Lindi, Tanga, Morogoro, Lindi and Mtwara regions. In Zanzibar our operations are in Unguja Island.
In the following years, YOSEFO expanded its work to support the development of innovative primary and secondary education, Children with special needs education, microfinance, and environmental programs in Mountain Usambara ( Amani Forest reserve) and Northen Udizungwa. Our footprints in Morogoro are in three districts, Kilombero, Ulanga and Malinyi, In Lindi region in two districts, Kilwa and Lindi Municipal and in Tanga region, Muheza district, in Coast region Kibaha, Ikwiriri, Mkuranga and Kibiti and Dar Es Salaam all the districts Ilala, Temeke, Kinondoni, Ubungo and Kigamboni. In Zanzibar our strong footprints are in the entire Unguja Island with our entry point being the small island of Tumbatu.
In 2014 YOSEFO decided to focus only none finance and transferred microfinance to Yetu Microfinance Bank plc and YOTE Microfinance.
Today, Youth Self Employment Foundation (YOSEFO) focus on addressing needs of the following groups:
- Women working on income generation including smallholder farming as we provide them with skills, financial education, business skills and link them with financial institutions
- Children with special needs enrolled in Government Primary Special primary schools
- Young college and university graduate who want to pursue self-employment
OUR SUCCESSFUL STORY
In 2012 the Registered Trustees of YOSEFO made a strategic decision to transform it into a deposit taking Microfinance Institutions. MFIs in Tanzania that went through a similar route include Vision Fund, FINCA and PRIDE. Transformation is a costly exercise hence YOSEFO had to look for Funding. In July 2012, Financial Sector Deepening Trust Fund approved US$ 1.6 million for capacity building that included funding the transformation process. The transformation process included upgrading of MIS system, staff training and upgrading three branches to the level acceptable by Bank of Tanzania. The transformation approach included the establishment of a separate company for the financial services delivery activity. A new company, Yetu Microfinance PLC was established with YOSEFO as major shareholder while other shareholders included employees and founder Trustees of YOSEFO.
