Vwawa, Songwe — Vwawa, the administrative centre of Mbozi District, sits in the heart of an agricultural powerhouse. The district is renowned for its Arabica coffee and is home to the famous Kimondo cha Mbozi, the world’s fourth-largest meteorite.
While the wealth of these resources often bypasses the local population, the young people living here are far from passive victims.
During a recent youth dialogue in the Itemba area, recorded on June 14, 2026, and published on June 22, participants painted a picture of a generation actively hustling, innovating, and fighting to claim their space in the economy.
The session was the ninth episode of the Dira Mtaani: Vijana Wanasemaje programme, organised by The Chanzo and Twaweza East Africa.
Mbozi District relies on coffee production for about 70 per cent of its economy, and the Kimondo meteorite attracts tourists from around the world.
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Despite the lack of value-added infrastructure to keep this wealth in the community, the youth are not waiting for factories to be built; they are creating their own micro-economies.
“Here in Mbozi, we have coffee farming, but we don’t have any factory that processes that coffee to a certain stage so it can be packaged and distributed,” one participant pointed out, demonstrating a clear understanding of the macroeconomic gaps.
“If we had those factories here, we would have many opportunities,” he added. “We could sell our coffee here, make a profit here, and our peers would be employed right here.”
Rather than succumbing to despair, the youth of Vwawa are demonstrating remarkable resilience. They are taking on multiple jobs, working gruelling hours, and constantly seeking ways to improve their circumstances.
A young man who makes bricks described his relentless schedule—working in the mud during the day and working as a security guard at night—just to support his family and build capital for his future.
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“I only sleep for one hour a day, from 6:00 AM to 7:00 AM,” he revealed. “I have anger because I come from a poor family, and they depend on me. But the bosses pay us a salary that is just like an intoxicant—just enough to keep you coming back, but not enough to help you move forward.”
This anger is not a sign of defeat, but a fuel for ambition. It is the driving force behind their daily grind, pushing them to seek out new opportunities even when the system seems rigged against them.
The youth are also critically examining their own mindsets and challenging their peers to aim higher. Prince Idi Hamisi, a young man who dreams of becoming a modern poultry farmer, spoke candidly about the danger of complacency in a region where the cost of living is relatively low.
“The life here in Mbozi is easy; you can survive on Sh2,000 from morning to evening because food is cheap,” he explained. “Because of this, many youth have become satisfied with our situation. If we get Sh2,000 or Sh3,000, we fail to fight to reach the next stage. This complacency has crippled us.”
By calling out this complacency, Prince and others are actively working to shift the cultural narrative among their peers, encouraging them to reject the comfort of poverty and strive for more.
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While some participants noted that social media can be a distraction, others are actively leveraging the digital world to create legitimate business opportunities. They are using smartphones not just for entertainment, but as tools for networking, marketing, and learning new skills.
As the government and international partners invest millions in job creation initiatives, the youth of Vwawa are already doing the hard work on the ground. They are not waiting to be saved; they are actively participating in shaping their lives and their communities.
Their stories are a testament to human dignity and agency in the face of systemic challenges. They are the brickmakers, the small-scale traders, the aspiring poultry farmers, and the barbers who are, brick by brick and shilling by shilling, building the future of Vwawa.
