Tanzania Social Action Fund (TASAF)


Ms. Maria Maguta, TASAF beneficiary in Katavi Region.
Ms. Maria Maguta, TASAF beneficiary in Katavi Region. © TASAF

Switzerland’s contribution to Tanzania Social Action Fund (TASAF) for the implementation of the Productive Social Safety Net Program (PSSN) contributes to the protection of 1.5 milion poor households in Tanzania Mainland and Zanzibar through cash transfers, public works and livelihoods enhancement. Also evidence generated through this support will inform and reinforce Swiss engagement in national policy dialogue on social protection, beyond PSSN. 

Country/region Topic Period Budget
Tanzania
Employment & economic development
Health
nothemedefined
Social protection
Employment creation
Basic nutrition
01.10.2023 - 30.09.2025
CHF  17’100’000
Background Tanzania's Compound Annual Growth Rate over the last 10 years was 5.6%. In 2020, Tanzania became a lower middle income country. Unfortunately, this growth has not translated into poverty reduction due to the highly inequitable distribution of growth benefits and high population growth. According to the World Bank, approx. 26 mio people in Tanzania live in extreme poverty (< US$1.90 per day). Whereas 16% of the population escaped poverty, 12% fell back into it. Post the COVID pandemic and withthe Ukraine/Russia war and increased costs of living, it is expected that poverty and vulnerabilities will continue to increase. The Government of Tanzania decided to set up a national social protection system to reduce high poverty, with a particular impact on women. National social protection policies are informed by the Productive Social Safety Net program (PSSN), but their implementation and related capacities remain weak.
Objectives The overall goal of this support is to contribute to extreme poverty reduction efforts of the Government of Tanzania, by curbing growing inequalities and vulnerabilities, especially of women, across the country, through economic and social inclusion. 
Target groups
  • Approx. 1.5 million of the most vulnerable and poorest households (of which 52% women) 
  • Government Ministries (President’s Office-State House for mainland, Second Vice President’s Office for Zanzibar, Ministry of Finance and Planning, President’s Office-Regional Administration and Local Government)
  • TASAF implementing staff and involved community management committees
Medium-term outcomes
  1. Social protection coverage: approx. 1.5 mio vulnerable and marginalized households (of which 52% women) are more effectively protected from social and economic exclusion;
  2. Conducive policy environment: through evidence–based policy dialogue, social protection policies and regulatory frameworks are adopted that leave no one behind behind.
Results

Expected results:  

  • Within the available resources, all the targeted eligible households receive productive benefit support
  • Disability grants are further expanded to eligible beneficiaries
  • Informed policy dialogue facilitates the approval of the National Social Protection Policy
  • Lessons learnt of Livelihood Enhancement are weII documented and used for the elaboration of PSSN III
  • Compilation of the program’s best practices is shared within SDC and among other stakeholders


Results from previous phases:  

  1. Increased household savings by 3.9% and increased non-farm self-employment by 4.3%; decreased casual/seasonal employment by 5.6%;
  2. Increased registration to community-based health insurance (32% of enrolled beneficiaries compared to only 11% of the control group);
  3. Increased primary school attendance (70 to 79%) and child labour reduced by 19 hours per week;
  4. 5% increase on women’s say on the use of their own earning, by 6% on children’s health and education decisions and by 5% on major and daily household purchases.


Directorate/federal office responsible SDC
Credit area Development cooperation
Project partners Contract partner
International or foreign NGO
Foreign state institution
  • Sub-National State SouthEast
  • Tanzania Social Action Fund (TASAF)


Coordination with other projects and actors World Bank, Sweden-European Union, Ireland, Norway, United Kingdom, United Nations Children’s Fund, International Labour Organization, World Food Program-Canada, African Development Bank, Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries
Budget Current phase Swiss budget CHF    17’100’000 Swiss disbursement to date CHF    13’088’518
Project phases Phase 2 01.10.2023 - 30.09.2025   (Current phase) Phase 1 01.03.2020 - 30.09.2023   (Active)