In late 2022, Rosetha joined the Amani Village Savings and Loan Association (VSLA) supported by CARE Tanzania through the Her Money, Her Life project funded by Bloomberg Philanthropies. At first, she was quiet like many women in her community, she had been taught to let men lead. But through the VSLA training by CARE Tanzania she didn’t just learn how to save and borrow she learned that her voice mattered.

She quickly became the group’s secretary and received training in financial literacy, entrepreneurship, leadership, land rights, women and girls’ economic growth. Her confidence grew. So did her vision.

As Rosetha’s confidence grew through the CARE’s support, something surprising happened, her husband, Falesi, started to change too. He joined the VSLA group, attended gender-based violence, prevention of sexual harassment and abuse as well as women economic growth dialogues, and began seeing his wife not just as a normal partner at home, but as a partner in both economic and social aspects of their lives.

“Before, I didn’t ask for her opinion rather decided on my own as a husband. I thought that’s how it’s supposed to be,” Falesi admits.

Together having one vision, they took a joint loan of TZS 1,500,000 (US$ 578) and bought one acre of land. They invested into a small village shop which is one of only two in their community. This was not all, they reinvested their VSLA share-out TZS 3 million (US$ 1,119) of which they managed to build a family house of five rooms and moved in 2025.

With the support from CARE and partners like the Luhunga Tea AMCOS and Mufindi Tea Cooperative Joint Enterprise (MUTCOJE), Rosetha and Falesi through the Sustainable Agriculture Practices received; improved their farming practices, increased their tea output, which led to a monthly net profit of TZS 1,215,600 (US$ 469 USD) for green leaf tea sales of 5 acres.

Due to high demand of tea seedlings, they planted 20,000 tea seedlings in a tea nursery that’s close to their house. After a few months they sold half of the plantlets for 1 million TZS (373 USD) and the remaining 10,000 plantlets were planted on their one-acre tea farm.  By the end of 2024, they added 30,000 more seedlings, now valued at 200 TZS each, with 35,000 already pre-ordered. Their tea nursery is quickly becoming one of the area’s most promising enterprises.

Taking the cumulative income of their own, they now earn between TZS 1,800,000 (US$ 693) to TZS 2,150,000 (US$ 828) per month, a nine-fold increase compared to what they earned (TZS 250,000 – US$ 93 per month).

But the biggest win? Land ownership.

Land ownership is at the heart of the Her Money, Her Life initiative. In November 2024, CARE Tanzania supported the Mufindi District Council to register and distribute 105 Certificates of Customary Rights of Occupancy (CCROs) including one to Rosetha and her husband, with both names on the deed.  Just a month later, success of this initiative led the Mufindi District Council in collaboration with the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Human Settlement Development continued with parcellation of 1725 CCROs for other village members in Luhunga village. This brings forward opportunity for socio-economic activities among beneficiaries for their economy and wellbeing, secure land tenure, moreover land can be used as collateral in financial institution to raise capital.

It’s a shining example of what public-private collaboration can look like when communities are centered in the process. For Rosetha, that paper means more than a security. It means recognition and power.

What Comes Next?

Now, with a CCRO in hand the couple is now preparing to apply for a bank loan of TZS 6 million (US$ 2,244) to diversify into a pine tree business and apart from that, Rosetha is mentoring fellow VSLA members to launch a joint potato farming enterprise.

They’ve become known in their village not just as successful farmers, but as champions of equality.

Why Her Story Matters?

Rosetha’s journey is part of a bigger shift one where women’s economic independence and inclusion goes hand in hand with changing women and girls’ dynamics. It’s not just about access to credit or training. It’s about dignity, partnership, and power.

“When women rise, families thrive. And when couples grow together, communities are sustainably transformed.”