TEDGlobal 2017
Niti Bhan: The hidden opportunities of the informal economy
Niti Bhan: Fursa zilizofichwa katika sekta isiyo rasmi
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Niti Bhan anatafiti mikakati ya kibiashara kwa soko lisilo rasmi la Afrika: maduka madogo, wabunifu walio na ujuzi na wafanya kazi ambao ni injini isiyoonekana ambayo inafanya uchumi wa bara kusonga mbele. Inashawishi kuwaza kwamba wafanya kazi hawa ni wakwepa kodi, wahalifu -- lakini anaelezea suala hili kwamba kipande hiki ambacho kinakuza uchumi ni halali kinafaa kuwekeza. Kama tutafanya, anasema, tutatengeneza maelfu ya ajira. "Hizi ni mbegu zenye rutuba za biashara na viwanda," Bhan anasema. "Je, tunaweza kuanza kwa kutambua ujuzi huu na kazi?"
Niti Bhan - Human-centered strategist
Through exploratory and human-centered research, Niti Bhan discovers and makes tangible pragmatic opportunities for sustainable and inclusive value creation. Full bio
Through exploratory and human-centered research, Niti Bhan discovers and makes tangible pragmatic opportunities for sustainable and inclusive value creation. Full bio
Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.
00:12
The informal markets of Africa
are stereotypically seen
are stereotypically seen
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Masoko ya Afrika yasiyo rasmi huwekewa kasumba kwa kuonekana
00:16
as chaotic and lackadaisical.
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vile yana kasheshe na goigoi.
00:19
The downside of hearing
the word "informal"
the word "informal"
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Ubaya wa kusikia neno "yasiyo rasmi"
00:21
is this automatic grand
association we have,
association we have,
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hutokana na jumuiya inayojiendesha ya misaada tuliyonayo,
00:24
which is very negative,
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ambayo ina mitazamo hasi sana,
00:26
and it's had significant consequences
and economic losses,
and economic losses,
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na ilikuwa na madhara makubwa katika kuanguka kwa uchumi,
00:30
easily adding -- or subtracting --
40 to 60 percent of the profit margin
40 to 60 percent of the profit margin
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kuongeza kirahisi -- au kupunguza -- asilimia 40 hadi 60 ya ukomo wa faida
00:36
for the informal markets alone.
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kwa masoko yasiyo rasmi pekee.
00:39
As part of a task of mapping
the informal trade ecosystem,
the informal trade ecosystem,
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Ikiwa moja ya jukumu la kuweka ramani ya mzunguko wa biashara zisizo rasmi,
00:43
we've done an extensive literature review
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tumetengeneza machapisho kwa kina
00:46
of all the reports and research
on cross-border trade in East Africa,
on cross-border trade in East Africa,
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ya ripoti zote na tafiti kwenye biashara za mipakani katika ukanda wa Afrika Mashariki,
00:51
going back 20 years.
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tukirudi nyuma hadi miaka 20.
00:52
This was to prepare us for fieldwork
to understand what was the problem,
to understand what was the problem,
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Hii ilikuwa ni kwa ajili ya kutuandaa kwa ajili ya kazi ya kwenda kutathmini tatizo ni nini,
00:57
what was holding back informal trade
in the informal sector.
in the informal sector.
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kipi kilichokuwa kinarudisha nyuma biashara isiyo rasmi katika sekta isiyo rasmi.
01:01
What we discovered
over the last 20 years was,
over the last 20 years was,
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Tulichogundua katika miaka 20 iliyopita ni kwamba,
01:05
nobody had distinguished
between illicit --
between illicit --
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hakuna aliyeweza kutofautisha kati ya magendo --
01:09
which is like smuggling or contraband
in the informal sector --
in the informal sector --
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ambayo ni sawa na upenyeshaji mali isiyo halali au iliyopigwa marufuku katika sekta isiyo rasmi --
01:13
from the legal but unrecorded,
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na mali halali ambayo haikuwekwa katika kumbukumbu
01:16
such as tomatoes, oranges, fruit.
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kama nyanya, machungwa, matunda.
01:19
This criminalization --
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Uhalifu huu --
01:22
what in Swahili refers to as "biashara,"
which is the trade or the commerce,
which is the trade or the commerce,
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ambao kwa kiswahili unafahamika kama "biashara," ambao ni biashara,
01:27
versus "magendo," which is
the smuggling or contraband --
the smuggling or contraband --
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ukilinganisha na "magendo", ambayo upenyeshaji bidhaa usio halali --
01:30
this criminalization
of the informal sector,
of the informal sector,
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uhalifu katika sekta isiyo rasmi,
01:34
in English, by not distinguishing
between these aspects,
between these aspects,
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kwa Kiingereza, bila kutofautisha nyanja hizi,
01:38
easily can cost each African economy
between 60 to 80 percent addition
between 60 to 80 percent addition
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kwa urahisi inaweza kugharimu kila uchumi wa Afrika kati ya asilimia 60 hadi 80 ukiongezea
01:43
on the annual GDP growth rate,
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katika ukuaji wa pato la taifa kwa mwaka,
01:46
because we are not recognizing the engine
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kwa sababu hatujambua injini
01:50
of what keeps the economies running.
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inayofanya uchumi kuendelea.
01:52
The informal sector is growing jobs
at four times the rate
at four times the rate
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Sekta isiyo rasmi inaongeza ajira mara nne katika kiasi
01:56
of the traditional formal economy,
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cha uchumi ulio rasmi,
01:58
or "modern" economy, as many call it.
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au uchumi wa "kisasa", kama wengi wauitavyo.
02:00
It offers employment and income
generation opportunities
generation opportunities
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Hutoa nafasi za ajira na kuweza kujipatia kipato
02:04
to the most "unskilled"
in conventional disciplines.
in conventional disciplines.
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kwa wale wengi ambao hawana "ujuzi wa darasani" katika nyanja mbalimbali za taaluma.
02:08
But can you make a french fry
machine out of an old car?
machine out of an old car?
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Lakini, je unaweza kutengeneza mashine ya kukaanga chipsi kutokana na gari bovu?
02:12
So, this, ladies and gentlemen,
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Kwa hiyo, hili, mabibi na mabwana,
02:15
is what so desperately needs
to be recognized.
to be recognized.
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ni jambo ambalo linatakiwa kutambuliwa kwa shauku kubwa.
02:19
As long as the current assumptions
hold that this is criminal,
hold that this is criminal,
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Ambapo mtazamo wa sasa uliopo kuhusu sekta hii ni uhalifu,
02:23
this is shadow,
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hiki ni kivuli,
02:24
this is illegal,
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hii si halali,
02:26
there will be no attempt at integrating
the informal economic ecosystem
the informal economic ecosystem
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hakutakiwa na madhumuni ya kuunganisha mzunguko wa uchumi usio rasmi
02:30
with the formal or even the global one.
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na ule ulio rasmi au hata ule wa kiulimwengu.
02:34
I'm going to tell you a story of Teresia,
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Nitawaeleza hadithi inayomuhusu Teresia,
02:37
a trader who overturned
all our assumptions,
all our assumptions,
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mfanyabiashara ambaye anapindua mitazamo yetu yote,
02:41
made us question all the stereotypes
that we'd gone in on,
that we'd gone in on,
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anatufanya kuhoji kasumba zetu zote tulizokuwa nazo,
02:45
based on 20 years of literature review.
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ukihusisha na ripoti ya miaka 20 nyuma.
02:49
Teresia sells clothes under a tree
in a town called Malaba,
in a town called Malaba,
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Teresia anauza nguo chini ya mti katika mji unaoitwa Malaba,
02:55
on the border of Uganda and Kenya.
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katika mpaka wa Uganda na Kenya.
02:57
You think it's very simple, don't you?
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Unadhani ni rahisi sana, au sivyo?
03:00
We'll go hang up new clothes
from the branches,
from the branches,
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Tutakwenda ning'iniza nguo mpya kwenye matawi,
03:03
put out the tarp, settle down,
wait for customers,
wait for customers,
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tutatandika turubai, kisha kuketi chini, kusubiri wateja,
03:06
and there we have it.
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na hivyo ndivyo inakuwa.
03:07
She was everything we were expecting
according to the literature,
according to the literature,
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Alikuwa ni mtu ambaye tuliona anarandana na yale yaliyomo katika ripoti,
03:11
to the research,
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katika tafiti,
03:12
right down to she was a single
mom driven to trade,
mom driven to trade,
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alikuwa ni mama mjane anayefanya biashara,
03:16
supporting her kids.
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akilea watoto wake.
03:19
So what overturned our assumptions?
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Ni kipi kilibadili udhanifu wetu?
03:21
What surprised us?
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Kipi kilitushangaza?
03:23
First, Teresia paid the county
government market fees
government market fees
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Kwanza, Teresia analipia kodi ya serikali ya soko la mkoa
03:27
every single working day
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kila siku anayofanya biashara
03:28
for the privilege of setting
up shop under her tree.
up shop under her tree.
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kutokana na kuweka biashara chini ya mti wake.
03:32
She's been doing it for seven years,
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Amekuwa akifanya hivi kwa miaka saba,
03:34
and she's been getting receipts.
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na amekuwa akipewa risiti.
03:36
She keeps records.
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Anatunza kumbumkumbu.
03:38
We're seeing not a marginal,
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Tunamuona asiye hafifu,
03:41
underprivileged,
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masikini,
03:42
vulnerable African woman trader
by the side of the road -- no.
by the side of the road -- no.
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mwanamke asiye na uwezo anayefanya biashara pembezoni mwa barabara -- hapana.
03:48
We were seeing somebody
who's keeping sales records for years;
who's keeping sales records for years;
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Tunamuona mfanyabiashara ambaye anatunza kumbukumbu za mauzo kwa miaka;
03:52
somebody who had an entire ecosystem
of retail that comes in from Uganda
of retail that comes in from Uganda
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mtu ambaye amekuwa na mzunguko wote wa biashara za rejareja zitokazo Uganda
03:58
to pick up inventory;
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hadi orodha ya uchukuaji;
04:01
someone who's got handcarts
bringing the goods in,
bringing the goods in,
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aliye na mkokoteni unaoleta bidhaa,
04:05
or the mobile money agent
who comes to collect cash
who comes to collect cash
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au wakala wa mfumo wa fedha wa simu anayekuja kuchukua pesa taslimu
04:08
at the end of the evening.
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kila mwisho wa jioni.
04:09
Can you guess how much
Teresia spends, on average,
Teresia spends, on average,
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Unaweza kisia ni kiasi gani Teresia hutumia, kwa wastani,
04:13
each month on inventory --
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kila mwezi katika uorodheshaji bidhaa --
04:16
stocks of new clothes
that she gets from Nairobi?
that she gets from Nairobi?
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shehena ya nguo mpya ambazo anapata kutoka Nairobi?
04:19
One thousand five hundred US dollars.
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Dola za Kimarekani elfu moja na mia tano.
04:22
That's around 20,000 US dollars
invested in trade goods and services
invested in trade goods and services
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Ambayo ni takribani dola za Kimarekani 20,000 zilizowekezwa kwenye katika bidhaa za biashara na huduma
04:27
every year.
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kila mwaka.
04:29
This is Teresia,
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Huyu ni Teresia,
04:31
the invisible one,
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asiyeonekana,
04:32
the hidden middle.
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aliyefichwa katikati.
04:34
And she's only the first rung
of the small entrepreneurs,
of the small entrepreneurs,
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Na huyu ni mtu wa ngazi ya kwanza ya wajasiriamali wadogo,
04:38
the micro-businesses that can be found
in these market towns.
in these market towns.
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biashara ndogo ndogo zinazopatikana katika masoko ya ya miji hii.
04:42
At least in the larger Malaba border,
she's at the first rung.
she's at the first rung.
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Angalau katika mpaka mkubwa wa Malaba, yupo katika ngazi ya kwanza.
04:48
The people further up the value chain
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Watu wa mbele zaidi wanathamini mlolongo huu
04:51
are easily running
three lines of business,
three lines of business,
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na kwa rahisi wanafanya biashara tatu,
04:54
investing 2,500 to 3,000
US dollars every month.
US dollars every month.
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wakiwekeza dola za Kimarekani kati ya 2500 hadi 3000 kila mwezi.
04:59
So the problem turned out
that it wasn't the criminalization;
that it wasn't the criminalization;
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Kwa hiyo tatizo lilikuja gundulika kwamba halikuwa uhalifu;
05:03
you can't really criminalize someone
you're charging receipts from.
you're charging receipts from.
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huwezi kumtuhumu mtu ambaye unamtoza na kumpa risiti.
05:08
It's the lack of recognition
of their skilled occupations.
of their skilled occupations.
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Ni ukosefu wa kutambua ujuzi wa kazi zao.
05:15
The bank systems and structures
have no means to recognize them
have no means to recognize them
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Mifumo ya kibenki haina njia ya kuwatambua
05:19
as micro-businesses,
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kama wafanyabiashara ndogo ndogo.
05:20
much less the fact that, you know,
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pasipo kukataa ukweli, unajua,
05:23
her tree doesn't have
a forwarding address.
a forwarding address.
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mti wake hauna anuani.
05:25
So she's trapped in the middle.
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Kwa hiyo amebanwa katikati.
05:28
She's falling through the cracks
of our assumptions.
of our assumptions.
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Anaangukia katika mpasuko wa dhana zetu.
05:30
You know all those microloans
to help African women traders?
to help African women traders?
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Unaijua ile mikopo midogo midogo ya kusaidia wanawake wa Kiafrika ambao ni wafanyabiashara?
05:34
They're going to loan her
50 dollars or 100 dollars.
50 dollars or 100 dollars.
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Watampa mkopo wa dola za Kimarekani 50 au 100.
05:37
What's she going to do with it?
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Atafanyia nini kiasi hiki?
05:39
She spends 10 times
that amount every month
that amount every month
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Anatumia mara 10 ya kiasi hicho kila mwezi
05:41
just on inventory --
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katika uorodheshaji tu.
05:43
we're not talking about
the additional services
the additional services
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hatuongelei huduma nyingine za ziada
05:45
or the support ecosystem.
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au mzunguko wote.
05:47
These are the ones who fit
neither the policy stereotype
neither the policy stereotype
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Hawa ni wale ambao hawastahili kuwepo katika kasumba ya sera
05:51
of the low-skilled and the marginalized,
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ya walio na ujuzi mdogo au wale duni,
05:53
nor the white-collar,
salaried office worker
salaried office worker
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wala si mwajiriwa, ofisa anayelipwa mshahara
05:56
or civil servant with a pension
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au mtumishi aliye na pensheni
05:58
that the middle classes
are allegedly composed of.
are allegedly composed of.
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ambapo ndipo watu wa kipato cha kati walipo.
06:02
Instead, what we have here
are the proto-SMEs
are the proto-SMEs
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Badala yake, tulichonacho hapa ni mifano ya viwanda vidogo na vya kati
06:06
these are the fertile seeds
of businesses and enterprises
of businesses and enterprises
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hizi ni mbegu zilizo na rutuba za biashara na viwanda
06:10
that keep the engines running.
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ambazo zinafanya injini iendelee kutembea.
06:12
They put food on your table.
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Vinaleta chakula mezani.
06:14
Even here in this hotel,
the invisible ones --
the invisible ones --
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Hata hapa katika hotel hii, wasioonekana --
06:17
the butchers, the bakers
the candlestick makers --
the candlestick makers --
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wachinjaji nyama, watengeneza mikate na watengeneza mishumaa --
06:20
they make the machines
that make your french fries
that make your french fries
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wanatengeneza mashine ambazo zinatengeneza chipsi
06:23
and they make your beds.
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na wanatengeneza vitanda vyako,
06:24
These are the invisible businesswomen
trading across borders,
trading across borders,
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Hawa ni wanawake ambao hawaonekani wanaofanya biashara mipakani,
06:29
all on the side of the road,
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pembezoni mwa barabara,
06:31
and so they're invisible
to data gatherers.
to data gatherers.
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hawaonekani kwa watu wanaokusanya taarifa.
06:34
And they're mashed together
with the vast informal sector
with the vast informal sector
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Na wanawekwa pamoja katika sekta kubwa isiyo rasmi
06:38
that doesn't bother to distinguish
between smugglers and tax evaders
between smugglers and tax evaders
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ambayo haihangaiki kutofautisha watu wanaopenyesha bidhaa na wakwepa kodi
06:43
and those running illegal whatnot,
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na wale wanaofanya biashara za magendo,
06:46
and the ladies who trade,
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na wanawake wanaofanya bashara,
06:48
and who put food on the table
and send their kids to university.
and send their kids to university.
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na wale wanaoleta chakula mezani na kuwasomesha watoto zao hadi chuo kikuu
06:52
So that's really what I'm asking here.
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Kwa hiyo hili ndilo ninalouliza hapa.
06:55
That's all that we need to start by doing.
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Hayo ndiyo tunatakiwa kuanza kufanya.
06:58
Can we start by recognizing
the skills, the occupations?
the skills, the occupations?
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Je tunaweza kuanza kwa kutambua ujuzi, kazi?
07:03
We could transform the informal economy
by beginning with this recognition
by beginning with this recognition
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Tunaweza kubadili uchumi wa sekta isiyo rasmi kwa kuanza na utambuzi huu
07:08
and then designing the customized
doorways for them to enter
doorways for them to enter
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na kisha kutengeneza milango ya wao kupita
07:12
or integrate with the formal,
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na kushirikiana na sekta iliyo rasmi,
07:15
with the global,
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na ulimwengu,
07:16
with the entire system.
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na mfumo mzima.
07:18
Thank you, ladies and gentlemen.
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Asante, mabibi na mabwana.
07:19
(Applause)
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(Makofi)
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Niti Bhan - Human-centered strategistThrough exploratory and human-centered research, Niti Bhan discovers and makes tangible pragmatic opportunities for sustainable and inclusive value creation.
Why you should listen
Niti Bhan is a global nomad whose life mission is to bridge the gap of understanding between cultures, contexts and continents. She brings a multicultural perspective to innovation for the informal economies of the emerging markets of the developing world. She is the founder and principal of Emerging Futures Lab, a multidisciplinary team of human-centered researchers, designers, engineers and economists who collaborate on design and innovation strategies for social impact and sustainable profit in the emerging consumer markets of sub-Saharan Africa.
Growing up as a third culture kid in the ASEAN of the 1970s exposed Bhan to the British and American systems of primary and secondary education whilst her university education in Engineering (Bangalore University), Design (National Institute of Design, India & the Institute of Design, IIT Chicago), and Business (majoring in Strategy at the Katz Graduate School of Business, University of Pittsburgh) gave her the experience of living and working across cultures and continents. Emerging Futures Lab came to life in San Francisco in 2005, operated between Singapore, the Netherlands, and East Africa from 2007 through 2013, and is now an established SME in Finland.
Niti Bhan | Speaker | TED.com