Over 2,000 villagers to benefit from TASAF dam project

AT least 2,000 residents of Vikuge Village in Kibaha District, Coast Region, are set to benefit from a new dam project to be constructed at the village under the Tanzania Social Action Fund (TASAF) programme. 
The 26.9m/- dam will be able to reserve over 10million litres of water yearly thus helping the area’s community in various needs.
Speaking this week at the village when the House of Representative Committee that Oversees State Leaders visited the project, Vikuge Village Chairman Vitus Mchami said that during its implementation the project will provide temporary employment to at least 171 Tasaf beneficiaries.
He said that once completed, the dam will be a relief to the villagers who have for long time been suffering due to scarcity of water.
“The dam water will be used for irrigation activities and household uses,” he said.
Mchami commended TASAF programme as it had changed lives of hundreds of villagers who were previously living in absolute poverty.
“Since TASAF programme started in the village, beneficiaries are able to acquire basic services such as food, shelter and healthcare for which they could not get earlier...children are also attending schools,” the village chairman asserted.
Kibaha District Tasaf Coordinator Sijaona Muhunzi said that through the established Productive Social Safety Net (PSSN) in TASAF III, beneficiaries participate in public works such as putting up infrastructures in the area of education, health and water to improve social services and earn extra income through the wages they receive after work.
She said that TASAF do not only provide funds to the beneficiaries but also link the beneficiaries to employment projects. It also enables them to establish community savings and investments groups where TASAF boosts them with funds.
The Committee’s Chairman Omary Seif Abed called upon TASAF to invest more on awareness programmes as majority of Tanzanians were still not aware of the project and how to properly utilise the funds for their sustainable development.
“My emphasis remains on education... awareness is still very low as a majority of people do not have even an idea how the programme works, a situation which creates questions and unnecessary complaints,” he said.
Earlier, speaking when welcoming the Parliamentary Committee members, Coast Regional Commissioner, Eng Evarsit Ndikilo, said that through the TASAF programme, beneficiaries are being assured of healthcare and various social services.
“At least 192 projects were implemented in the year 2014/15 and other 166 projects will be implemented in 2016/17 year. All these projects transform lives of many people in various areas in the region,” he said.
The RC said that the Tasaf programme had also to a large extent contributed to a decrease in maternal and under-five children deaths in the region as many of the have recognized and are able to access health services more easily.