TanCraft – Tanzania Handicraft Association – is an organization for small and middle-sized enterprises in the handicrafts sector. It hosts trade fairs, gives export assistance and works with accessing grants with the aim of creating an organized handicraft industry with quality products and secure market access. Its main office in Dar es Salaam, the economic hub and political center of Tanzania, reaches out to about 300 members across the country. Tancraft helps families to generate income and employment.

Many products however lack the quality needed for export and gaining high profit margins. Interns will work on this issue by introducing members to product catalogues and portfolios and the use of brand names and labelling. Interns will develop marketing strategies that utilise the fact that all products are unique and made locally by women (95% of members are women). Businesswise, interns can work with cost calculation and specific business plans for members. Additionally, interns should focus on the use of recycled materials not only  to save  costs, but also to create an awareness of the waste problem and the saleability of such products in Europe.

Interns will survey and evaluate the situation in order to implement diverse workshops for member enterprises. The workshops will focus on developing new products and designs as well as on business and management skills. All plans and designs should be developed in cooperation with members so that they are practical.

Accordingly, one intern should have knowledge of business and marketing or have experience with entrepreneurial activities. Another intern should have knowledge about product or fashion design and/or should have worked as a designer or artisan. Experience in conducting workshops, knowledge of the European handicraft market, working with recycled materials and Swahili language skills would be important assets.