Project News

In a seminar held on 29 November 2013 in Dar es Salaam, KAIZEN Trainer candidates presented results of six-week KAIZEN guidance provided for pilot enterprises which were willing to improve manufacturing operation. The guidance was a part of training as a KAIZEN Trainer, and their presentations included action plans of the guidance, before-after changes in workshops, and future activities. Selected pilot enterprises also shared their experience from their point of view.

Prior to the seminar, 15 pilot enterprises had two-day classroom lecture and on-site guidance at their own workshops from the KAIZEN Trainer candidates with the focus on 5S (sorting, setting in order, shining, standardizing, and sustaining) as the first step of KAIZEN. Japanese KAIZEN experts advised them as needed, and the Tanzania KAIZEN Unit (TKU) of the Ministry of Industry and Trade organized the whole program with assistance of the JICA project team.

The presentations by both parties showed that (1) the commitment of the management was essential to KAIZEN, and (2) the mindset of workers changed in the course of KAIZEN activities. The TKU closed the event praising the achievement made for the past six weeks, emphasizing the need to keep continuing KAIZEN, and promising to support KAIZEN implementation of manufacturing enterprises as much as possible.

The next round training/guidance is scheduled to start early February in two cities, Dar es Salaam and Morogoro, covering a wider range of KAIZEN.

A KAIZEN Trainer candidates presenting results of his KAIZEN guidance

The Director of a pilot enterprise sharing his experience

Group photo of the participants