Category: The Citizen

For many entrepreneurs in Tanzania, the search for growth often begins with one question: Where can I get capital?

But money alone may not be enough.

A business that cannot keep reliable records, price its products properly, find customers consistently or meet basic regulatory requirements can struggle even after receiving financing.

For many small enterprises, the challenge is therefore not simply access to money, but the ability to manage it and turn it into sustainable growth.

It is this gap that a new business training initiative, targeting entrepreneurs across six regions, is seeking to address.

The Small Business Seminar Series, organised by Coprosperity Fund, an East African investment and mentorship firm based in Zanzibar, will begin in Dar es Salaam on July 25 before moving to Zanzibar, Morogoro, Dodoma, Arusha and Mwanza through December. Interested candidates can register at coprosperityfund.com

The programme will focus on four areas that often determine whether a small business survives or scales: sales, access to finance, legal compliance and digital marketing.

Coprosperity Fund Managing Partner, Antony Adolf, says the thinking behind the initiative is that entrepreneurs need more than financing to build businesses capable of lasting and creating jobs.

‘Many entrepreneurs start businesses with strong ideas and a determination to succeed, but they often have to learn critical business skills through trial and error. That can be costly,’ Mr Adolf said.

‘Practical training can help an entrepreneur understand how to find customers, manage cash flow, keep proper records and build a business that is ready for financing.

Capital is important, but without the right systems and knowledge, capital alone may not produce sustainable growth.’

The potential impact of such training lies in whether it can help entrepreneurs move from running businesses largely on instinct to making decisions based on records, planning and a clearer understanding of their markets.

Access to finance illustrates the challenge. Small business owners frequently identify lack of funding as their biggest obstacle.

Yet many enterprises seeking loans or investment struggle to demonstrate how much they earn, where their money goes or whether they can comfortably repay financing.

The seminar series plans to address this through training in cash-flow management, record-keeping and preparation for loans, grants and potential investors.

Participants are expected to develop basic funding checklists and outlines for lender-ready business dossiers.

Better records could have an impact beyond loan applications. They can help entrepreneurs identify profitable products, control costs and make informed decisions about expansion.

Sales will be another area of focus. Many small enterprises are built around a product, service or technical skill but lack a deliberate system for finding and retaining customers.

The training will cover prospecting, pricing, building sales pipelines and closing deals.

These are skills that could help businesses reduce their dependence on irregular customers and build more predictable revenue.

Legal structure and compliance are another potential barrier to growth. Many small businesses operate informally or have limited understanding of registration, contracts, taxation and intellectual property.

While formalisation can create opportunities to access larger clients, finance and investment, entrepreneurs can also be discouraged by the perceived cost and complexity of compliance.

The seminars are expected to help participants assess the legal structures that best fit their businesses and develop practical compliance roadmaps.

Digital marketing completes the four areas of focus.

Platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and WhatsApp Business have reduced the cost of reaching customers. But an online presence does not automatically translate into revenue.

The programme will train entrepreneurs in content planning, low-budget advertising and the use of analytics to measure what works. Participants are expected to develop 30-day content plans and frameworks for testing digital advertising.

The initiative is targeting early-stage founders, established small businesses seeking to scale, informal traders considering formalisation and enterprises led by young people and women.

It will also cover sectors including retail, services, agribusiness, creative industries and light manufacturing.

The organisers say the emphasis will be on giving participants practical tools they can continue using after the sessions, rather than limiting the programme to general business theory.

Entrepreneurs are expected to leave with a more structured approach to selling, including a sales playbook, tailored customer offers and follow-up scripts designed to help them turn potential leads into actual business.

On the financial side, participants will be introduced to a basic toolkit that includes a cash-flow sheet, a funding checklist and an outline of the information needed to prepare a lender-ready business dossier.

The aim is to help small firms better understand their financial position and improve their ability to approach banks, investors and other sources of financing.

The programme will also help business owners assess the legal structures that best suit their enterprises and develop a roadmap for meeting registration, contractual, tax and other compliance requirements.

In digital marketing, participants are expected to develop a 30-day social media content plan and a framework for testing online advertising rather than spending money on digital campaigns without a clear way of measuring results.

The practical approach will begin before participants enter the training room. Entrepreneurs will be encouraged to bring a brief summary of their businesses, their latest sales or expense records – even where these consist only of basic notes – as well as links to their social media pages and specific questions about the challenges they are facing.

This could allow trainers to work with actual business information rather than hypothetical case studies, giving entrepreneurs an opportunity to examine weaknesses in their sales, finances and digital presence.

Registration will open two weeks before each regional event, with participation limited to maintain more interactive sessions.

The Dar es Salaam launch will also include one-on-one clinics, where selected entrepreneurs will have an opportunity to receive more individualised feedback on their businesses.

For the programme, the important question will be whether these tools remain in use once participants return to their businesses.

A cash-flow sheet has little value if it is not regularly updated, just as a social media plan will have limited impact if businesses do not measure whether online activity is generating customers and sales.

The potential impact of the training will therefore depend not only on what entrepreneurs learn during the sessions, but on whether the practical tools they take away become part of how they run and grow their businesses.

For Tanzania, improving the capabilities of small businesses could have implications beyond the individual entrepreneurs who attend the sessions.

Stronger enterprises are more likely to survive, expand their customer base, enter formal markets and create jobs.

But the real measure of the initiative will come after the training rooms have emptied.

One-off seminars can generate enthusiasm without necessarily changing business performance.

The longer-term value of the programme will therefore depend on whether participants apply what they learn, and whether improvements can eventually be seen in stronger sales, better financial records, increased formalisation and greater access to finance.

For Mr Adolf, this is ultimately the gap the programme hopes to address.

‘The objective is not simply to bring entrepreneurs into a room for a day,’ he said.

‘The value will be in whether they leave with practical tools they can use immediately to improve how they run their businesses.

When small enterprises become stronger, they are better positioned to grow, employ more people and contribute more meaningfully to the economy.’

The programme will run every last Saturday of the month from July to December.

One Tanzanite Football Academy (OTFA) will once again represent Tanzania at two of the world’s most prestigious youth football tournaments after confirming its participation in the 2026 Gothia Cup in Sweden and the Dana Cup in Denmark.

The academy will compete from July 13 to 26 with Under-17 and Under-19 teams, travelling with a delegation of 45 players, coaches and technical officials.

It marks OTFA’s second consecutive appearance at the international tournaments following a breakthrough campaign last year that earned the academy global recognition. The academy heads to Europe with confidence after making history in 2025 by becoming the first team from East and Southern Africa to win the Dana Cup Boys Under-16 title since the tournament was established in 1982.

OTFA also reached the quarter-finals of both the Gothia Cup Under-16 competition and the Dana Cup Under-18 tournament, demonstrating the growing standard of youth football development in Tanzania.

Speaking ahead of the team’s departure, OTFA Academy Manager Johar Khamis said the tour represents more than a football competition, describing it as an opportunity to showcase Tanzania’s emerging talent on the global stage.

“Our participation is about much more than football. It is about showcasing Tanzanian talent, inspiring young people, creating life-changing international opportunities and demonstrating that our country has the potential to compete at the highest level. We are honoured to represent Tanzania once again and inspire the next generation of footballers,” she said. Beyond its performances on the field, the academy says its mission is centred on youth empowerment and social transformation.

OTFA currently nurtures more than 112 young footballers, with over 95 percent coming from underprivileged families.

The academy provides professional coaching, mentorship, transport assistance, safe training environments and drinking water during training sessions, ensuring financial challenges do not prevent talented youngsters from pursuing their football dreams.

It also seeks to instill discipline, leadership, teamwork and resilience while creating pathways to higher education, professional football and international opportunities.

Ahead of the team’s departure, Denmark’s Ambassador to Tanzania, Jesper Kammersgaard, hosted OTFA players and officials at his residence on July 8 in recognition of the academy’s achievements and its contribution to strengthening sporting ties between Tanzania and Denmark.

The ambassador has supported the academy since its historic Dana Cup triumph, having visited the team’s training base at Kijitonyama ground famous known as Bora ground , in 2025 to congratulate the players after their title-winning campaign.

During the farewell reception, Kammersgaard encouraged the young footballers to serve as ambassadors for Tanzania by displaying discipline, excellence and sportsmanship while helping showcase the country’s football potential as it prepares to co-host the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations with Kenya and Uganda.

OTFA has rapidly emerged as one of Tanzania’s leading youth football development institutions. Besides its success at international tournaments, the academy reached the semi-finals of the Under-15 category and the quarter-finals of the Under-17 division at the 2024 Chipkizi Cup.

Its player development program has also produced tangible results. Five academy graduates have secured football opportunities with clubs in Spain and Nigeria, while three players have joined Simba SC, another three have signed for Azam FC and one has moved to Fountain Gate FC.

The academy has further strengthened its technical program by hosting coaching clinics led by trainers with experience from FC Barcelona’s youth system and Nàstic Academy, exposing young Tanzanian players and local coaches to international coaching standards.

OTFA also expressed its appreciation to the government under the leadership of President Dr Samia Suluhu Hassan for its continued commitment to youth empowerment and sports development.

The academy further thanked the Tanzania Football Federation (TFF), the National Sports Council (NSC), Azania Bank Plc, Mega Beverages Ltd, ASAS Group, and other partners for their unwavering support in promoting youth football development and making the academy’s international campaign possible..

The academy has invited additional corporate organisations and development partners to join its mission of nurturing young talent and strengthening Tanzania’s future in football.

As Tanzania moves towards establishing a framework to govern artificial intelligence (AI), experts have warned that regulation alone will not determine the country’s success in the digital revolution unless it builds local innovation capacity, protects its data and empowers startups to create home-grown solutions.

The warning emerged during a workshop on Regional Integration, AI and Pan-African Architecture held at the University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM) on July 8, 2026, where experts discussed how law, policy and regional cooperation can shape East Africa’s role in the rapidly evolving AI landscape.

The workshop was organised by the Tanzania-German Centre for Eastern African Legal Studies, with participants examining whether East Africa will become an active contributor to AI development or remain a consumer of technologies created elsewhere.

Opening the discussion, a law lecturer at UDSM and representative of the centre, Dr Petro Protus, said the event was aimed at addressing the legal and policy challenges facing emerging AI entrepreneurs.

He said the region must ask whether it is simply observing technological change or actively participating in shaping it.

“Are we people of East Africa merely spectators of these technologies, or are we participants in developing and advancing them?” Dr Protus asked.

He noted that many young entrepreneurs are already using AI to establish businesses, create employment opportunities and address social challenges, but they require supportive legal and policy environments to grow.

“We need to understand the challenges they face, the causes of those challenges and how we can solve them together as citizens of Tanzania and members of the East African Community,” he said.

The question of Africa’s role in AI development was central to the arguments presented by computer scientist Dr Leonard Binamungu and AI governance expert Dr Joseph Nyansiro.

Dr Binamungu, a don at the UDSM College of Information and Communication Technologies (CoICT) challenged policymakers and innovators to look beyond regulation and consider whether Africa is building its own technological future.

“Are we building our own digital house, or are we merely tenants in an architecture designed by others?” he asked.

He argued that while AI governance is important, it must be designed to support local innovators rather than create barriers that favour large international technology companies.

“If our legal evolution does not explicitly prioritise the survival and scale of these African startups, we risk remaining spectators in our own market,” he warned.

According to him, startups are often the first to identify local problems, develop prototypes and test solutions before they reach wider markets. Their experiences, he argued, should therefore inform the development of practical AI regulations.

Manager for Information System Quality Assurance at Tanzania Revenue Authority, Dr Nyansiro, who delivered the keynote address, said AI governance should not be viewed as an obstacle to innovation but as a foundation for building public confidence.

“Governance creates trust. Trust creates adoption. Adoption creates markets, and markets create opportunities for economic and social development,” he said.

Halotel Tanzania has stepped up its push to expand digital connectivity by showcasing its latest telecommunications and financial technology solutions at the 50th Dar es Salaam International Trade Fair (Sabasaba), as the company’s leadership reaffirmed its commitment to investing in innovation.

The firm’s Managing Direcor, Mr Bui Van Thang, visited the Halotel exhibition stand on July 8, 2026 where he inspected a range of services on display, including the company’s 5G network, Halotel Fibre home internet and HaloPesa mobile financial platform.

Accompanied by Halotel Tanzania Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Ms Tran Thi Thuy Dung, the Managing Director toured the stand with Halotel Tanzania Commercial Director, Mr Abdallah Salum, who briefed the executives on the company’s showcase and customer engagement activities during the annual trade fair.

The visit also provided an opportunity for the company’s top leadership to interact with customers and frontline staff, with Mr Bui commending employees for their efforts in delivering customer service throughout the exhibition.

Speaking after the tour, Halotel Tanzania Managing Director, Mr Bui Van Thang, said the company would continue investing in technology and innovation to deliver reliable digital services that respond to the growing demand for connectivity across Tanzania.

Meanwhile, Halotel Tanzania Marketing Manager, Ms Aidat Lwiza, said the exhibition provides an opportunity for customers to engage directly with the company’s experts, learn about emerging technologies and benefit from promotional offers available during the fair.

The 50th Dar es Salaam International Trade Fair, popularly known as Sabasaba, continues until July 13, attracting hundreds of exhibitors from Tanzania and abroad as companies showcase new products, services and technologies.

The Tanzania Men’s and Women’s National Rugby Teams have returned from Burundi after competing in a regional international tournament that also featured hosts Burundi, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), gaining valuable experience as they continue preparations for future competitions.

The tour marked a significant milestone for Tanzanian rugby, as it was the first time that both the men’s and women’s national teams travelled together to represent the country at the same international tournament.

Beyond the results, the competition offered an important platform for the players to test themselves against strong regional opponents and build experience at the continental level.

The women’s team faced Burundi and Uganda in the group stage but was unable to register a victory, finishing third in the standings. Despite the outcome, the players benefited from valuable competitive exposure that is expected to contribute to the team’s long-term development.

The men’s side also endured a challenging campaign, opening with a hard-fought goalless draw against the Democratic Republic of Congo before suffering defeats to Uganda and Burundi. The results saw Tanzania finish third in its group without recording a victory.

Although both teams fell short of progressing beyond the group stage, they displayed determination, discipline and resilience throughout the tournament.

Tanzania Rugby Union believes the experience will play an important role in the continued growth of both national teams as they prepare for upcoming regional and continental assignments.

On their return journey, the Tanzanian delegation paid a courtesy visit to the country’s Ambassador to Burundi, where they briefed him on the progress of rugby in Tanzania and the steady development of both the men’s and women’s programmes. As a token of appreciation, the delegation presented the Ambassador with an official Tanzania Rugby jersey.

The Ambassador welcomed the players and officials, commending the progress the sport has made in Tanzania and encouraging the teams to continue representing the country with pride while raising its profile on the international stage.

Tanzania Rugby Union said the Burundi tour has laid another important foundation in its long-term development strategy.

The Union reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening both national teams, increasing international exposure for players, and improving performances as Tanzania seeks to establish a stronger presence in African rugby.

Deputy Minister for Transport, David Kihenzile, has directed the Tanzania Railways Corporation (TRC) to improve its ticketing systems to ensure passengers are not told that trains are full while some seats remain unoccupied on certain Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) trips.

He said that the ticketing system is a key area that needs improvement to ensure citizens access services easily, without facing challenges of being told that trains are full while there are still available seats.

Kihenzile said the challenge is one of the areas that needs improvement to enhance service efficiency, noting that the country’s rail transport system is growing rapidly and must align with public expectations.

He made the remarks today, July 6, 2027, while visiting the TRC pavilion at the 50th Dar es Salaam International Trade Fair (Sabasaba), where he also praised the corporation’s leadership for improving rail transport services.

Kihenzile said the ticketing system is a crucial area that must be strengthened to ensure citizens receive services easily, without facing challenges of being unable to secure seats while trains appear to have capacity.

‘SGR has been widely embraced by citizens, and many Tanzanians are enjoying this new service that enables easy and fast travel. Therefore, ensure such challenges are addressed,’ he said.

He said the service has brought major changes in rail transport in the country, citing routes such as Dodoma, Singida, Tabora, Mwanza, and Kigoma as among the most frequently used by passengers.

Kihenzile praised TRC for implementing the major national project, saying it is one of the model projects in Africa due to its infrastructure quality and management. He added that Tanzanians value the service so much that some have even suggested fare adjustments to ensure sustainability, a sign of how well the SGR has been received.

He also emphasized the need to continue improving service quality, particularly ensuring trains depart on schedule and addressing minor operational challenges.

‘The goal is to ensure this service remains sustainable and of high quality. These are improvements, not opposition to the project,’ he said.

He noted that Tanzania is currently among a few African countries with a modern railway system, making the SGR a strategic national development project.

Kihenzile called on railway sector officials to continue improving their systems, pledging that the government will continue to support all improvements aimed at enhancing services for citizens.

Responding to the issue, TRC Chief Communications Officer Athuman Idd said that some coaches appearing empty is due to many passengers who have purchased tickets but do not show up for the journey.

‘The train is indeed full as reflected in the system, and it is not that coaches are empty.

The issue is that many passengers in business class and Royal class are government officials and businesspeople, and many of them miss the train due to changes in their schedules,’ he said.

This situation makes coaches appear empty even though the system shows they are fully booked, adding that the seats have been paid for and TRC does not incur any loss.

Minister for Industry and Trade, Ms Judith Kapinga (MP), has urged Tanzanians to continue visiting the 50th Dar es Salaam International Trade Fair (Sabasaba), saying this year’s exhibition has showcased major milestones in industrial development, technological innovation and the quality of locally manufactured products.

Speaking on July 8, 2026, after touring various exhibition stands, Ms Kapinga said public response to the fair has been overwhelming, prompting the Government to consider extending the exhibition by one more day to allow more people to participate and give traders additional time to conduct business.

She said the scale of the exhibition requires repeated visits, as it is impossible to explore all the stands in a single day, adding that she was impressed by exhibitors’ preparations and the quality of products on display.

Ms Kapinga said the 2026 exhibition has featured a wide range of modern technologies, including electric vehicles, hybrid cars, fully compressed natural gas (CNG)-powered vehicles, as well as advanced electric-powered machinery, reflecting the growth of Tanzania’s industrial sector and the adoption of environmentally friendly technologies.

She added that locally manufactured products have continued to improve in quality, particularly in terms of value addition and packaging, demonstrating the impact of Government efforts to empower citizens economically and promote domestic production.

‘Citizens should continue turning up to visit Sabasaba. There are more opportunities available this year, making it the right time to learn, do business and witness the progress being made by Tanzania’s industries,’ Ms Kapinga said.

She further explained that if the decision to extend the exhibition by one day is approved, it would provide more opportunities for citizens, especially those who are occupied with work on regular weekdays, to visit the fair and benefit from various business and investment opportunities.

In the 38th week of Adaugo Adebimpe’s pregnancy, she went to the hospital feeling ill. Her delivery was in two weeks and she thought her blood pressure was acting up again. Instead, doctors told her she had malaria, the fourth diagnosis during her pregnancy.

‘I took the prophylaxis twice and yet I had malaria four times during my pregnancy,’ she told The New Humanitarian. ‘I know I live in Africa and malaria is endemic, but four times in one pregnancy is a lot.’

Her family and doctors in the Nigerian city of Ibadan worried throughout her pregnancy – with good reason. Pregnant women are three to five times more likely to die from severe malaria than non-pregnant women, and 80 percent of all malaria deaths globally happen to children under five.

Adebimpe’s experience reflects a broader reality across much of Africa, where malaria remains one of the continent’s deadliest diseases.

World Malaria Day on 25 April aims to flag the progress that has been made against the disease. Between 2000 and 2024, the number of malaria-endemic countries fell from 108 to 80, and an estimated 14 million deaths were averted.

But these gains are extremely fragile. According to the World Health Organization’s World Malaria Report 2025, there were 282 million cases worldwide in 2025 – an 11 million increase from the previous year – and 627,000 deaths.

Africa accounted for 94 percent of cases and 95 percent of all deaths. The Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, and Uganda contributed to more than half of the global cases. Nigeria carries the world’s highest infection burden.

The WHO has set an ambitious target of eliminating malaria in at least 35 endemic countries by 2030 and reducing mortality rates by 90 percent. The African Leaders Malaria Alliance (ALMA) has also endorsed those goals.

But owing to aid funding cuts, growing mosquito resistance to treatments and insecticides, and the impact of conflict in some of the worst-affected countries, these look increasingly like over-ambitious goals.

The 2025 malaria report points out that the financing gap for malaria action has nearly doubled. US funding cuts have hit African public health systems especially hard, with the dismantling of USAID – a key global health financier – undoing decades of progress, potentially causing hundreds of thousands of avoidable deaths.

A slowdown isn’t like a break that can be un-paused when funding becomes available again – it has long-term effects on health systems. The burden of malaria also has a tremendous economic impact across the continent.

Lack of money is only part of the malaria struggle. Scientists have warned for years that malaria parasites and mosquitoes – the vectors of the disease – were adapting to standard interventions. Partial resistance to artemisinin-based combination therapies, or ACTs – a frontline treatment – has been confirmed in four African countries (Eritrea, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda) and is spreading.

Partial resistance does not mean the drugs have stopped working altogether, as happened with chloroquine. But it does mean treatment is taking longer – a worrying development in places where patients may already struggle to complete a full course of medication, which in itself is a significant driver of resistance.

The last time Osato Edokpayi had malaria, he thought he might die. He spent the night in an Abuja hospital gripped by violent shivering, sweating – and fear. He was so certain he might not survive that he texted his best friend his bank details and passwords.

‘ I’d never felt anything like that in my life. It genuinely felt like I wasn’t going to make it to morning,’ he explained. ‘ That was a new dimension in my getting malaria and it was an incredibly scary dimension.’

Although no formal confirmation of ACT resistance has been made where Edokpayi lives, he says many people around him believe their experiences are worsening: Symptoms feel more severe, recovery takes longer, and some cases now lead to hospitalisation in situations where earlier treatment might once have worked.

Even basic mosquito repellants don’t seem to work as before.

Olivia Ndubuisi is a science journalist based in New York

‘I was buying insecticide the other day and I asked the shop attendant which one would work best, and they pointed to one they said was pretty harsh and would get the job done,’ recounted Edokpayi.

‘I sprayed it around the house, took a walk, came back, and there were still mosquitoes,’ he said. ‘This isn’t my experience alone. Everyone says the same thing. It feels like something is wrong.’

‘The current tools we have are not effective. They have done their best, but the mosquitoes have evolved mechanisms to evade them.’

Martin Lukindu, a post-doctoral research entomologist on the Target Malaria project in the Ugandan Virus Research Institute studies resistance. ‘The current tools we have are not effective,’ he told The New Humanitarian. ‘They have done their best, but the mosquitoes have evolved mechanisms to evade them.’

The Target Malaria project is working on new approaches, including gene technology, which researchers hope could help suppress mosquito populations or reduce their ability to transmit malaria.

The WHO also points to the rollout of new malaria vaccines in 25 countries – which could save millions of children’s lives – and a new generation of insecticide-treated bed nets.

But such work is costly and depends on steady investment. ‘If you look at the Western world, they have really invested a lot of money in just gaining that knowledge,’ said Lukindu. ‘But when it comes to our countries, probably we have not, and as you know research is expensive.’

Access to populations in need is also key. Conflict and social upheaval blocks prevention, control, and treatment programmes.

In South Sudan, where fighting and displacement is a barrier to care, malaria remains one of the leading causes of illness and death. According to the WHO, it accounts for around 67 percent of all reported disease cases and half of all deaths in the country.

The stakes are incredibly high. If resistance spreads, the African continent could face 16 million more cases annually and 80,000 additional deaths, notes the WHO. Yet with the current assault on funding, coupled with a plateau in progress, it seems a perfect storm is brewing in malaria eradication efforts.

African governments need to be part of the solution

For Christian Happi, adjunct professor of infectious diseases at Harvard University, and director of the Institute of Genomics and Public Health at Redeemers University in Nigeria, part of the problem is that African countries are not pulling their weight.

‘ It’s not just the responsibility of outside donors. I think our governments need to take full responsibility,’ he told The New Humanitarian. ‘Countries used to make their healthcare plan and budget taking into account that aid was coming, but they never took responsibility a hundred percent.’

Kayode Tolulope, a malaria researcher at the University of Notre Dame in the US, agrees. He believes that Nigeria, for example, should be taking far more of a lead given that it carries the world’s heaviest malaria burden. Domestic financing for malaria research should be a national priority, he noted.

But climate change is also shifting the disease burden. Tolulope’s research is finding that mosquitoes are becoming present in cold, high-altitude regions and people are testing positive for malaria where it was previously assumed to not be possible, such as the Horn of Africa.

It could also re-emerge in areas where malaria has been beaten. ‘Right now malaria is not a thing for the US, but I think it might be very soon with climate change and global warming,’ he noted.

Yet with the tools and resources available today, WHO believes nobody should be dying from malaria.

Tolulope agrees – but with reservations. ‘The problem of malaria is solvable, but a lot of the moving parts need to come together,’ he said. ‘It will be difficult, but the countries that have got there are proof of concept. It can be solved, but not without heightened local funding and collaboration.’

The WHO’s goal of eliminating malaria in at least 35 countries by 2030 was set in 2015. What seemed potentially feasible then has not worn well.

‘What we require right now is holistic, high-level funding to support and sustain all those efforts,’ said Happi.

Even then, he estimates such an endeavour would take 25 years – another generation at least – before the threat of malaria ceases to be a present danger.

The Zanzibar Football Federation (ZFF) has described the retirement of Taifa Stars captain Mbwana Samatta from international football as premature, saying the veteran striker still had enough quality to serve the national team until the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon), which will be jointly hosted by Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda.

Speaking to _The Citizen_ yesterday, ZFF secretary general Hussein Ahmada Vuai said Samatta remains one of Tanzania’s finest footballers and still has the ability to make a significant contribution to the national team.

Vuai noted that the 32-year-old forward continues to compete at the highest level with French Ligue 1 side Le Havre, demonstrating that he remains capable of performing on the international stage.

“Samatta is a highly disciplined player who has contributed immensely to the growth of football in Tanzania. Considering that he is still playing in one of Europe’s top leagues, we believe he had enough quality to continue serving Taifa Stars, at least until the 2027 Afcon finals on home soil,” said Vuai.

He added that Samatta has become a role model for many young footballers in Zanzibar and across the country, making his retirement announcement a major surprise within the football fraternity.

“In Zanzibar, there are young players who even use the name ‘Samatta’ as their nickname because of the success he has achieved and the way he has promoted Tanzania internationally. Players such as Feisal ‘Fei Toto’ Salum, Ibrahim ‘Bacca’ Hamad, Mudathir Yahaya and many others who have played alongside him in Taifa Stars have benefited greatly from his guidance and leadership.

“For us at ZFF, this is a huge shock. We still believe he could have continued playing international football for another two years,” he said.

Vuai said ZFF will continue to honour Samatta for his outstanding contribution to Tanzanian football and the inspiration he has provided to generations of players.

Meanwhile, Taifa Stars head coach Miguel Gamondi admitted that Samatta’s decision came as a shock, despite holding discussions with the striker before the announcement.

Gamondi said he respected Samatta’s decision but had hoped the experienced forward would continue representing the country.

“I had the opportunity to speak with him about his decision, but by then he had already made up his mind.

Although I worked with him for only a short period during our preparations for the Morocco Afcon campaign, I was impressed by his commitment, professionalism and desire to serve his country,” said Gamondi.

The Argentine coach described Samatta as an exemplary leader whose legacy will continue to shape Tanzanian football long after his retirement from international duty.

“Samatta’s legacy will always remain part of the development of football in Tanzania.

His journey from Tanzania to playing professionally in Belgium, England, Greece, Trkiye and now France shows the calibre of player he is,” said Gamondi.

He added that although Samatta has retired from Taifa Stars, he intends to continue involving him in football development programmes, particularly those targeting young players.

“I will continue to seek his advice and involve him in various football development initiatives because he is one of Tanzania’s most accomplished footballers.

His experience and leadership will remain valuable to the national team and the country’s football development,” Gamondi said.

There is no such thing as ‘the perfect garden,’ as it changes from one season to the next when different colored flowers bloom, trees change leaf color, food is harvested, and lawns and landscapes continue to evolve with the seasons.

The garden continues to evolve, but most of this can only be seen through individual photographs taken at certain moments in time. Seasonal transformation videos are popular because they allow gardeners to showcase their gardens during each season.

With the help of the latest Seedance 2.5 model, you can build incredible seasonal transformation videos of how your garden has evolved over the growing period of time using photographs of your garden.

This dream tool will allow you to compile all of your photographs from every month into one single video that will showcase the blooming of your flowers, the growth of your vegetables, and the development of the colors in your landscape throughout the year in a single visual story.

Your garden blooming on the screen

Each garden starts with preparing the soil. The garden becomes colorful, full of blossoming flowers, greenery, and alive thanks to your efforts. Showing this process will show the patience and attention needed to grow a perfect garden.

Do not simply give the result; show the process instead. Start from the first days when you were planting things in the soil and gradually reveal fresh sprouts, flourishing plants, and blossoms.

Include events such as:

Plant bed preparation

First emergence of young sprouts

Plants during midseason

Flowering and/or harvest at peak

Finished garden in bloom

Each event is one more chapter of the garden’s story.

Celebrate all the seasons, not only the end result

Gardens constantly change, and each season is unique.

The spring season presents bright blooms and new life. The summer season provides lots of colors and growth. Fall season has warm colors and harvest-ready plants. Winter shows the garden through textures of winter and preparation of the garden for next season.

Don’t think of these as several projects, but rather one cinematic story. Transitions from photos of different seasons show the development of the garden and highlight how important each step of the gardening process is for its final result.

How Seedance 2.5 allows gardens to blossom

With the newest upgrade, Seedance 2.5 integrates prompts, seasonal garden photos, and references into one streamlined creative process. The multimodal input feature ensures that all stages of your garden’s evolution remain connected with a unique visual style.

A more consistent tone allows for natural coloring and lighting across the whole video, whereas longer video generation allows enough time to show an entire season or even a year of growth without haste. Seedance 2.5 can now create a video up to 30 seconds, so you can provide longer and more immersive video for readers.

Garden your story with Dreamina

Step 1: Start Dreamina Seedance 2.5

Visit Dreamina and select the Seedance 2.5 AI Video Generator, which allows direct access to the official tool to generate high-quality AI videos using text, image, and reference prompts.

Step 2: Provide your prompt and references

Give an elaborate prompt that describes your video scene, its subject, motion, camera techniques, and desired visual ambiance. Upload any image or reference materials if you wish to guide the character, product, style, and overall direction of your video.

Sample Prompt: Create a cinematic seasonal garden transformation video depicting the evolution of a backyard from newly planted flower beds to a blooming garden in full blossom. Include garden pictures, smooth camera movements, natural sunlight, gradual season transition, realistic plant growth, and an ambiance that highlights nature and gardening.

Step 3: Generate, edit and save

Click on Generate to allow Dreamina Seedance 2.5 to generate your idea as a cinematic AI video. If necessary, edit your prompt or references to fine-tune the generated video, and save your AI video for sharing in social media, ads, product promotions, etc.

Motivate other gardeners on your path

While people love to see a great garden, they like to see how it was built even more.

Demonstrating your seasonal growth inspires people to start gardening themselves and proves that great landscapes grow through patience and diligence.

Think about including:

Flower bed changes

Vegetable garden evolution

Backyard landscaping

Balcony gardening

Seasonal planting series

Every video serves as inspiration and praise to each gardener’s creativity.

Make a visual garden diary

Many gardeners capture photos through the seasons and don’t even know that they have all the necessary material for making video stories.

Each new season means that you will get closer to the point where you will be able to see your growth, your experiments, and changes during the past years. It will be possible to look back at your previous work and to compare your ideas and successes, and to evaluate the results.

It is also possible to use your videos for sharing among friends, gardening forums, and among clients if you are designing landscapes for others. Rather than just presenting images, you will be showing the entire season story and will prove not only your creativity but your devotion as well.

Each new season will become one more story in your gardening experience.

Dreamina to share your garden’s story

A garden is an expression of patience and imagination along with lots of little instances of nurturing. With the help of converting your garden photography into movies that tell a story through their scenes, Dreamina will enable you to experience each step of the way entertainingly.

Using Seedance 2.5, you can make even your ordinary garden updates look like stunning video storytelling.