Entrepreneurship, hard work key to better life, says expert

Attainment of better lives for all Tanzanians as advocated by President Jakaya Kikwete is impossible unless people are oriented to be innovative and hard working, an economist and human rights activist has said. The economics expert, Violet Mbelle, made the remarks in an exclusive interview with The Guardian in Dar es Salaam over the weekend. Mbelle, who has been instrumental in the establishment of a number of credit and savings societies in Ukonga Division in Dar es Salaam, stressed the need to spread an entrepreneurship culture among the community. Entrepreneurship knowledge and culture amongst members of many societies, she said, would speed up the establishment of SACCOS in the country and thus reduce poverty. ``Establishment of many SACCOS would really uplift men and women from the vicious cycle of poverty,`` she said, adding: ``An increase in the number of SACCOS would facilitate access to soft loans by members who would in turn invest the same in income-generating and poverty reduction activities.`` Good life for all was impossible without an entrepreneurial culture and hard work, she emphasised. The president?s philosophy of better life for all will never work for lazy, idle and dormant people. Some people don?t understand the concept?they think the government will dish out free money to people,? she said. According to her, the government had paved the way for economic and productive engagements amongst people by facilitating the establishment of more microfinance institutions to encourage borrowing for small-scale projects. ?That?s what the slogan of better life for all means. The philosophy will become useful and realistic if Tanzanians work hard and stop politicking,? she said. The fourth-phase government has already dished out billions of shillings to small-scale entrepreneurs and facilitated establishment of SACCOS across the country.