Empowerment Setbacks and Coping Strategies in the COVID-19 Crisis of Female Food Vendors in Tanzania

The Government of Tanzania has established a conducive environment for gender equity, as reflected in the Millennium Development Goals(MDGs). Female food vendors operating in Tanzania's urban settings face multifaceted socio-economic and cultural challenges, with these factors significantly influencing how they are perceived and treated within their communities. This, in turn, can impact their ability to negotiate and make decisions in business settings, particularly during epidemics. However, the Covid-19 pandemic exacerbated the challenges. This study delved into the effects of COVID-19 on food vending businesses and coping mechanisms amidst its raging consequences. The study sequentially employed qualitative and quantitative approaches to gather data from female food vendors using in-depth interviews and questionnaires. Of all the collected questionnaires, 304 were sufficient for descriptive and paired t-test analyses. Thematic analysis was applied to qualitative data. The findings underscore the significant adverse impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the business performance of female food vendors. Indicators such as the number of employees, average daily sales, average daily profit, and daily working capital exhibited statistically significant declines during the pandemic compared to pre-pandemic levels. Coping strategies employed by female food vendors included strict adherence to COVID-19 protocols, workforce reductions, trimming daily allowances for assistants, cutting down on working capital, streamlining food items on the menu, and avoiding expensive menu options. The study highlights the negative impact of the pandemic on business performance, emphasizing the need for government intervention through subsidies, especially during pandemics. Additionally, the study recommends business formalization to access subsidies and micro-credits better. Following the analysis, the study offered detailed policy recommendations to address specific issues identified during the research. Additionally, suggestions for further studies are presented, indicating potential avenues for future research to deepen the understanding of the subject matter.