Tanzania: World Vision Tanzania On Strategy to Narrow Poverty Gap in Rural Areas

By Daily News Reporter in Dodoma

WORLD Vision Tanzania has embarked on a comprehensive strategy targeting to narrow the poverty gap among rural dwellers by establishing a strong network of

savings groups in the country.

The interdenominational humanitarian aid, development and advocacy organisation says it aims at connecting small-scale savings groups comprising mainly farmers and pastoralists at village level in setting-up one large and strong network.

"We believe the network can help link the groups to new markets for agro produce and other significant stakeholders," said Mr Anthony Emanuel, World Vision Tanzania (WVT) Facilitator for the central cluster, including Dodoma and Morogoro.

Citing Mtumbatu Ward in Kilosa District, the officer said on average each village in the ward had 10 smallscale savings groups. Each group is anticipated to have at least 30 members.

In the three villages of Mtumbatu, Magemu and Machatu there are roughly 56 groups forming one strong network: Mtumbaku.

Mr Emanuel explained that World Vision Tanzania had been helping each small group within the village to come together and elect at least three leaders at village level who then could come together at ward level meetings and elect leaders.

"The leaders become the top-most management of the groups charged with responsibilities such as registering the group as per state laws, oversee the revenue of groups and seek solutions to problems facing the groups," he noted.

The top management includes the chairman, secretary, treasurer and three members.

The groups help villagers with no previous means of livelihoods with the opportunity to earn a living through loans from local village association, according to Magole ADP Programme Coordinator Madam Rukia.

"The World Vision Tanzania's goal is to ensure parents have such means to support their children with the best nutritional food, school and shelter," she noted.

"It is through this initiative that we're able to improve the livelihood for women, children and elders." World Vision Tanzania believes that the initiative helps small groups to become interdependent.

Challenges facing most farmers and the savings group is for its members failing to repay loans on due time, but also a management issue.