Hecasa Homestay

Scola Ponera, a fervent advocate for women's empowerment, is the visionary behind HECASA Homestay and Safaris Ltd, a burgeoning tourism and hospitality startup nestled in Arusha, Tanzania. In 2022, inspired by a return to her home village during the COVID-19 pandemic, Scola envisioned leveraging tourism to foster economic development within local communities. Today, her enterprise employs 23 women, fostering small women’s groups dedicated to local soap manufacturing, jewelry crafting, and artisanal pursuits.

With the Giving Joy grant, she plans to train 25 women in essential tourism, hospitality, and entrepreneurship skills, with five existing HECASA staff members among the beneficiaries. These trained staff members are expected to share their knowledge to an additional 70 women, with direct impact on a total of 100 women.