It was all smiles when JMKF CEO, Ms Vanessa Anyoti (third right) and NEXLAW Senior Partner, Prof Saudin J. Mwakaje (third left), signed a MoU to offer legal support to young innovators across the country in the presence of legal experts and JMKF staff.
By The Arusha News Reporter
Tanzanian youth are full of ideas, energy and ambition — but many innovators often find themselves stuck when it comes to protecting their inventions or navigating legal systems. That’s where the “Innovation for All” campaign steps in.
Recently launched in Arusha by a local legal consortium, the campaign aims to support young Tanzanians — especially those in secondary schools, vocational institutes and universities — to understand their rights around intellectual property (IP), patents, trademarks and copyright.
The initiative is a collaboration between the Tanzanian Intellectual Property Forum (TIPF), several law firms, and the Ministry of Education. Organisers say its aim is to close the gap between innovation and legal protection, something often overlooked by young creators.
“There are brilliant ideas in robotics, agriculture, design and tech — but many of these youths don’t know that they need to protect those ideas legally,” said Grace Daniel, one of the project’s coordinators.
The first training, held at Arusha Technical College, attracted over 150 participants from around the region. Among them were several secondary school students who had recently won STEM competitions.
“We want to help turn great ideas into real businesses — and that starts by ensuring these innovators own their work,” said Mr. Mashaka Lema, a legal officer involved in the campaign.
Workshops are expected to expand to Dodoma, Mwanza, Mbeya and Zanzibar in the coming months.
