The Effectiveness of Tanzania Social Action Fund (TASAF) Social Assistance on the Care of Elderly in Tanzania: A case of Kilosa District in Morogoro Region

The study aims to assess the effectiveness of Tanzania Social Action Fund (TASAF) social assistance on the care of elderly in Tanzania. A case of Kilosa district in Morogoro region. The specific objectives of the study were to examine the livelihood activities that old people undertake under TASAF projects in Kilosa District. The study adopted case study research design and used both quantitative and qualitative approaches. The study used Slovene’s formula to obtain a sample size of 226 respondents from target population of 521respondents.The study adopted cluster sampling to the old people and probability sampling procedure from family, clan members and blood kinship . The study used questionnaires, interview and focus group discussion. The study findings indicate that TASAF helped elder people within the community by engaging them in economic activities such as crop cultivation and keeping animals such as sheep, cow, goats and chickens etc. Elders were also able to run businesses by attaining entrepreneurial skills provided enabled them. The study concluded that TASAF socio assistance helped elder people within their community to engage in economic activities such as agriculture and small businesses that enabled them to have money and food in their families as well as within the community, also to own properties such as land and houses. The study recommended that TASAF should increase cash amount, pay transfers regularly and link beneficiaries to other existing complimentary services in the district to achieve greater poverty reduction. Further study should be conduct on the factors hindering TASAF provision of socio assistance to vulnerable groups in Tanzania.