TASAF embarks on e-payment in Kilimanjaro

THE Tanzania Social Action Fund (TASAF) has introduced an electronic payment system to enhance efficiency in disbursing beneficiaries’ funds.

TASAF Kilimanjaro Regional Coordinator Ms Jesca Nyaki said here recently when presenting the region’s Implementation Progress report for the Phase II of the Productive Social Safety Net (PSSN II) Programme.

“Adopting digital payments to beneficiaries will help increase efficiency in finance management as well as reducing other risks related to theft,” she said.

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She said the e-payment is being piloted in all seven districts councils in Kilimanjaro Region.

She said a total of 45.3bn/- was paid to 41,431 beneficiary households in 558 villages between 2015 to June this year.

She said more than 19,593 beneficiary households received their payments through mobile phones and banks.

Ms Nyaki said of the 1,146 savings groups formed in Kilimanjaro, some 17,463 are a result of the Fund’s programme.

She said the Fund’s programme has increased attendance in schools and health clinics for children from poor households.

Also, a total of 8,368 beneficiary households have joined the improved Community Health Fund (iCHF), 28,995 beneficiary households have initiated income generating activities and 2,826 households improved their houses by constructing new houses or renovating the old ones.

On her part, an official from TASAF Ms Tunu Muntali said there is a need for the beneficiaries of TASAF projects to be motivated to make payments through the internet which is safer.

“The motivation is important because only 19,000 beneficiaries use compared to more than 40,000 TASAF beneficiaries in the Kilimanjaro region”, he said.

TASAF’s Director for Knowledge Management and Advocacy, Mr Faraji Mishael said, there is a misconception that TASAF programmes make people create dependent environments.

“From the reports we have, the visits to the beneficiaries and beneficiaries’ testimonials including children testify that the government has done a lot to list its people from poverty,” he said.

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