Damaso
JF-Expert Member
- Jul 18, 2018
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The Tanzanian government has received 50.13 billion shillings to fund the Second Phase PSSN II Program for the Survival of Poor Households, which is managed by the Community Development Fund TASAF. The Swiss Government has donated more than 45.09 billion shillings, while the Irish Government has contributed more than 5 billion shillings. But it’s sad to see that the funds are not going to the intended people rather these funds are going into the pocket of the officials who are corruptors. Guess who take these funds?! LGAs or the intended ones?
Photo courtesy of TASAF.
PSSN II was initiated in February 2020, following the completion of the first phase of the poor household rescue program (PSSN I) in December 2019. But still TASAF is faced with challenges. The TASAF-PSSN Programme directly benefits poor and vulnerable households residing in Project Area Authorities (PAAs) and villages defined as chronic poverty; it also targets persons living below the food poverty line, which is now 9.8 percent of the population.
The Tanzania Social Action Fund (TASAF), a vital lifeline for millions of Tanzanians living in poverty, holds immense potential to become a transformative force. However, to truly empower these vulnerable households and break the cycle of poverty, reformation is necessary. This article proposes a pronged approach: revamping targeting mechanisms for efficient resource allocation and leveraging technology to enhance TASAF's impact.
The current system, primarily reliant on proxy means tests and community assessments, often overlooks truly deserving households. Imagine Mama Amina, a single mother of four in a rural village. Though living in a mud hut with a leaky roof, she owns a few livestock inherited from her father, which disqualifies her from receiving TASAF benefits under the existing criteria. This scenario highlights the limitations of proxy means tests, which fail to capture the nuances of poverty. It is time for, Acting Executive Director, Mr. Shedrack Mziray to sit down with the management and see fit that TASAF makes the best out of its operations.
Introduce mobile phone-based registration and verification processes. This allows for faster and more convenient enrollment, especially for those residing in remote areas. Biometric identification can further enhance accuracy and prevent fraud. Utilize data analytics to refine targeting strategies. By analyzing household data, economic indicators, and geospatial information, TASAF can identify pockets of high poverty and tailor interventions accordingly. Imagine interactive maps highlighting areas with the highest levels of child malnutrition, allowing for targeted nutrition support. Leverage SMS and mobile money platforms for communication and cash transfers. Regular SMS updates can inform beneficiaries about program details, disbursement schedules, and grievance redressal mechanisms. Mobile money transfers ensure that funds reach beneficiaries directly, reducing the risk of misappropriation.
The Tanzania Social Action Fund (TASAF), a vital lifeline for millions of Tanzanians living in poverty, holds immense potential to become a transformative force. However, to truly empower these vulnerable households and break the cycle of poverty, reformation is necessary. This article proposes a pronged approach: revamping targeting mechanisms for efficient resource allocation and leveraging technology to enhance TASAF's impact.
The current system, primarily reliant on proxy means tests and community assessments, often overlooks truly deserving households. Imagine Mama Amina, a single mother of four in a rural village. Though living in a mud hut with a leaky roof, she owns a few livestock inherited from her father, which disqualifies her from receiving TASAF benefits under the existing criteria. This scenario highlights the limitations of proxy means tests, which fail to capture the nuances of poverty. It is time for, Acting Executive Director, Mr. Shedrack Mziray to sit down with the management and see fit that TASAF makes the best out of its operations.
Introduce mobile phone-based registration and verification processes. This allows for faster and more convenient enrollment, especially for those residing in remote areas. Biometric identification can further enhance accuracy and prevent fraud. Utilize data analytics to refine targeting strategies. By analyzing household data, economic indicators, and geospatial information, TASAF can identify pockets of high poverty and tailor interventions accordingly. Imagine interactive maps highlighting areas with the highest levels of child malnutrition, allowing for targeted nutrition support. Leverage SMS and mobile money platforms for communication and cash transfers. Regular SMS updates can inform beneficiaries about program details, disbursement schedules, and grievance redressal mechanisms. Mobile money transfers ensure that funds reach beneficiaries directly, reducing the risk of misappropriation.
Photo courtesy of TASAF.
Equip beneficiaries with financial literacy skills, enabling them to manage their cash transfers effectively, budget for their needs, and invest in income-generating activities. Imagine workshops teaching budgeting techniques and savings strategies, empowering families to plan for the future. Partner with vocational training institutions to offer basic skills training programs. This can equip beneficiaries with skills like carpentry, tailoring, or basic agriculture, empowering them to find sustainable livelihoods and break free from the cycle of poverty, this is where NACVET enters into the action to help youth from these communities attain practical knowledge.
Synergy between TASAF, the Ministry of Agriculture, and the Ministry of Education can ensure that cash transfers are complemented by skill development initiatives and access to education for children in poor households. Main objective of TASAF is to enable poor households to increase incomes and opportunities while improving consumption. TASAF worked great with Minister of State, President's Office, Public Services Management and Good Governance in its programs.
Photo courtesy of TASAF.
Civil Society Organizations can play a crucial role in community mobilization, social audits, and providing financial literacy training at the grassroots level. CSOs reach out to and represent marginalized individuals, collaborating closely with communities in which they frequently live, and providing care for deprioritized problems. This provides CSOs with a unique perspective on what communities need and what resources they demand, making them excellent advocates for resource mobilization. CSOs impact public policy, improve democracy, and put pressure on other sectors to fulfill their social duties. A prime example is the fight between HakiElimu and Tanzania's Ministry of Education.
Reforming TASAF necessitates a commitment to innovation, transparency, and collaboration. By implementing a multi-dimensional targeting approach, leveraging technology for efficient administration, and offering a holistic package of support, TASAF can empower Tanzania's poorest households to build a brighter future. Imagine Mama Amina receives TASAF benefits, uses the funds to send her children to school, invests in a small poultry farm through a microloan, and utilizes her mobile phone to access market information. This is the transformative power of a reformed TASAF – empowering individuals, strengthening communities, and propelling Tanzania towards a future free from poverty.
Photo courtesy of TASAF.
Failures to collect loans from recipients are linked to shortcomings in both groups and LGAs. LGAs lack the ability to administer the fund, weak governance procedures, and abuse of public cash, and organizations are unaware of the fund's objectives.
The central government should focus on continued capacity building in LGAs so that they can effectively manage the fund, which is recommended for improvement. Again, LGAs should create an information system linked to groups to track project implementation. Again, organizations should be informed about the objective of the fund and the benefits of the loan to them and local economic development (LED). Furthermore, groups require entrepreneurial skills in order to participate in firms they can run. Furthermore, organizations should get continual training so that they may return the loan freely.
The central government should focus on continued capacity building in LGAs so that they can effectively manage the fund, which is recommended for improvement. Again, LGAs should create an information system linked to groups to track project implementation. Again, organizations should be informed about the objective of the fund and the benefits of the loan to them and local economic development (LED). Furthermore, groups require entrepreneurial skills in order to participate in firms they can run. Furthermore, organizations should get continual training so that they may return the loan freely.
Tanzania we Want: TASAF for the benefit of the Society.
