Stories from EQWIP HUBs Tanzania - Samson

Samson is a 30 year old man who works and lives in Pasiansi, Mwanza. This region is well known to EQWIP HUBs staff and volunteers as a very large number of our participants come from the area. It is a bustling centre of activity which has many youth living and working in the area and is a gateway to the Mwanza Airport.

Samson describes himself as a comedian; seeing the way he interacts with his customers it is very easy to believe. Samson learned to be a barber from his father; EQWIP HUBs taught him how to make it into a business. Samsong especially interacting with his customers as most barbers around the world do. The specific skills that he learned from EQWIP HUBs include customer service, maximizing the brand value of his salon, and how to develop a network of likeminded professionals who can help grow his business. Samson’s business savvy is already evident at his office; he has used the proceeds from his barber salon to buy a motorcycle to run a taxi service in the times he is not at the salon.

Like most graduates of EQWIP HUBs, Samson tells anyone he can about the benefits of attending training, and says he has convinced many youth to come and join training. The advice that he would give to future entrepreneurs is that businesses will often start slow, and will begin to pick up under effective leadership. Samson’s dream in life is to become a great entrepreneur in Tanzania and to spread his business through Africa.