BANK OF AFRICA Celebrate International Women’s Day with the theme “Break the Bias”

Jesca Kawegere (right), the Chief Nursing Officer of the Ocean Road Cancer Institute of Dar es Salaam thanking the women staff of BANK OF AFRICA for the support of special chairs, as well as various medicines to help the patients being treated at the hospital as part of the celebration of International Women's Day.

Ocean Road Cancer Institute Social Welfare Officer Justin Chambo, fourth from the right, being handed over special chair support for patient support as well as medical medications by BANK OF AFRICA Organization and Service Excellence Unit Head, Ms. Anna-Roberta Mango at the hospital as part of the celebration of International Women's Day, the donation was provided by the bank.

DAR ES SALAAM, BANK OF AFRICA Group is particularly proud of its overwhelming number of female employees. BOA Group is indeed attached great importance to gender equality. The proportion of women steadily increase over the years, as well as their level of responsibility. The International women’s day is celebrated differently in the 18 banks of BANK OF AFRICA network present in West Africa, East Africa and Central Africa.

At BANK OF AFRICA-TANZANIA, we celebrate the International Women’s Day with the theme “Break the Bias” that celebrates the tremendous efforts by women and girls around the world in shaping a more equal future and highlights the gaps that remain. Explained Ms. Mariaconsolata Wapalila, the General Manager at BANK OF AFRICA.

Ms. Maria also explained “The potential for women is vast, but there is still more to be done to reach true gender equality. To keep building momentum means challenging the oppressive and biased mindsets that hold women back.

Across the world, less than 15 per cent of the world's countries have a female leader. Only 24 per cent of senior managers are women and 25 per cent of companies have no female senior managers at all. At BANK OF AFRICA-TANZANIA as we promote “Break the Bias”, we believe in gender equality in our work space. Currently our female to male ratio stands at 47% while 41% of our leaders being women. Said Ms. Pamela Kieti – Sweke, Head of Human resources at BANK OF AFRICA.

On 8th March 2022, the women at BANK OF AFRICA also had an opportunity to visit the Ocean Road Cancer Institute with the aim of comforting the sick. At the hospital the bank was able to provide wheel chairs and medication that will be used by cancer patients in need. This is as supported by the bank’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Mission, that aims at supporting Health, Education and Social activities.

As a bank, financial inclusion is at the core of our innovation. Our goal is to create products that are gender inclusive. This is by developing tailor made products, such as; The Bank’s Chama Account- a group savings account for informal groups (VIKOBA etc) formed with purpose of saving and giving loans to its’ group members. Women have taken hold of the opportunity this account offers in building their businesses and taking care of their families. Our SME product offerings also help in providing financial assistance to women in Tanzania which is about 43% of SMEs in Tanzania.