CIRCULAR ECONOMY

TERMS OF REFERENCE

Consultancy to Conduct a Participatory Value Chain Study for the Waste Management (Plastic and Glass Bottles) in Mwanza and Pemba, Tanzania

Date: April 2026
Location: Mwanza and Pemba

1. BACKGROUND

Trias is an international development organization that supports family farmers and smallscale entrepreneurs in 17 countries, including Tanzania. Its mission is to empower individuals and their member-based organizations (MBOs) to become change agents who contribute to their livelihoods, social development, and environmental conservation. Trias’ vision is to see a world in which entrepreneurship and respect for people and the planet go hand in hand.

Through funding from Enabel, Trias is implementing the INCLUCITIES Project in Mwanza City and Pemba. The project aims to enhance the availability and usage of quality business development services, accessible financial services, and capital investment in key economic sectors in the target areas. The project addresses challenges facing entrepreneurs, micro and small enterprises (MSEs), and growth-oriented small and medium enterprises (SMEs), including informal sector dominance, unemployment, inequality (especially youth and women), financial exclusion, and environmental concerns.

Trias’ project activities fall under implementation Output 1.1: The ecosystem of non-financial service providers is strengthened. MSMEs and entrepreneurs have access to quality Business Development Support (BDS) services, are aware of the opportunities of the green economy, and have improved their financial literacy and access to finance. To achieve this output, the implementation will fall under the following key activity clusters:

Activity cluster 1.1.1: Strengthen the Ecosystem of Service Organizations (i.e. TCCIA, ZNCC, TWCC, SIDO, ZEEA) by providing needs-based Technical Assistance.

Activity cluster 1.1.2: Build capacity of participating Service Organizations regarding green, circular, digital economy and selected value chains.

Activity cluster 1.1.3: Enhance Entrepreneurship, Financial Literacy of Women and Youth Groups, and Investment Readiness of Women-Owned and Youth-Owned Enterprises.
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In this context, Trias seeks to address the growing environmental and economic challenge of waste management in Mwanza and Pemba. The rapid urbanization and consumption patterns in these regions have led to an increase in plastic and glass bottle waste, which presents both an environmental hazard and an untapped economic opportunity. This study will focus on analyzing the potential for a circular economy around plastic and glass bottle waste, with a view to promoting employment, local investment, and environmental sustainability.

The primary beneficiaries of this initiative are entrepreneurs, particularly youth and women, and micro and small enterprises operating in the waste management and recycling sectors in Mwanza and Pemba. The implementing partners in this project are the Tanzania Chamber of Commerce (TCCIA) in Mwanza, the Tanzania Women Chamber of Commerce (TWCC) in Mwanza, the Zanzibar National Chamber of Commerce (ZNCC), and Ennovate Ventures.

2. OBJECTIVES OF THE ASSIGNMENT

The overall objective of this assignment is to conduct a comprehensive over view of the businesses under the circular economy including plastic and glass bottle waste, solid waste, etc in Mwanza and Pemba. The assignment will identify and address inefficiencies, opportunities for value addition, and potential interventions to enhance the profitability, sustainability, and competitiveness of circular economy businesses especially for small and medium-scale entrepreneurs.

Further, the assignment aims at enhancing the MSMEs growth, mostly owned by women and youth. The study will entail unlocking the capacity gaps for the enterprises including the business cases development, compliance, financial literacy, financial statement preparation, business management and record keeping, etc.