For several decades, the Swiss Government has been supporting development projects in Tanzania, especially those that focus on alleviating poverty. Tanzania successfully piloted a conditional cash transfer programme between 2009 and 2012, which eventually developed into a comprehensive and integrated national social safety net. In 2012, the Government began implementing the scaled-up first phase of the Productive Social Safety Net (PSSN I) with the aim of providing poor households with income-earning opportunities and socio-economic services, while enhancing and protecting the human capital of their children.

From December 2019, the Government started implementing the second phase of PSSN (PSSN II).  Overall, PSSN has provided support to about 1.3 million extreme poor households with a total of about 5.6 million people all over the country in 186 Project Authority Areas in Tanzania Mainland and Zanzibar. PSSN provides support to extreme poor households through cash transfer, public works and livelihood enhancement sub components.

Switzerland has been an important partner in implementation of PSSN, collaborating with other stakeholders to ensure TASAF brings positive changes to poor households in Tanzania. So far, the Swiss Government has contributed over USD 17 million (TZS 42 billion) for the implementation of PSSN. The additional funds will contribute to the implementation of PSSN II during the two-year extension period, starting from October 2023 to September 2025.

This is timely support for the Government in its efforts to reduce poverty in the country and in achieving both the national and global objectives to end poverty. The Government of Tanzania thanks the Government of Switzerland for its continued support and collaboration.

Source: TASAF

Factsheet - Tanzania Social Action Fund (TASAF)