The impact of Tanzania social action fund on vulnerable household's poverty reduction: A case of Kigoma District Council

Abstract

This study was to determined the impact of on reduction of poverty in vulnerable households. The data were collected from two villages viz Mgaraganza and Mwamgongo of Kigoma district council and from the TASAF office of Kigoma district council. The specific objectives were to identify economic activities performed by vulnerable households, to ascertain types of socio-economic services which were accessed by recipient households for the TASAF II. Others were to determine success factors and challenges which were associated with the implementation of TASAF II and to suggest measures for improving contribution of TASAF II in reducing poverty to vulnerable groups. Thirty two beneficiaries were interviewed using structured questionnaire. Furthermore, a checklist was used to discuss together with Elders and Leaders from those two villages. The analysis was carried out using the statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) computer software where mean, frequencies and percentages were established. The results indicate that about 97 percent of the respondents interviewed had economic activities before project. Most of them were engaged in Agriculture (i.e. cassava, maize and beans production). Concerning TASAF II, they reported that the project performed better by enabling them to provide fees, food, medical and uniforms services to orphans at secondary schools. In general, majority of respondents in the study area agreed on project success. Furthermore, they agreed to face challenge of collecting grasses for cattle feeding. Even Elders keeping most vulnerable children faced the same problems. Further, they argued that for those groups engaged in fishing activities, they also faced challenges because of decrease of fish and dagaa in Lake Tanganyika that led into low income as compared to the target income. Following for the findings it is recommended that the support for vulnerable should be provided directly at a family level rather than groups. Further, any project pertaining to poverty alleviation through conventional approaches should empower the beneficiaries through certain training particularly on how best they could manage the concerned project