1. Social Problems and Social Work in Tanzania: Community Based Social Work Approach
Dr. Thadeus Mkamwa
St. Augustine University of Tanzania
April , 2014
SUDET Workshop-University of Tampere

2. Introduction: Hyena Square (2007)
Identify major community services issues which have to be looked at in order to resolve social problems as shown in the video clip. VEEE

3. Social Work in Practice
Young offenders
People with mental health conditions
School non-attenders (truants)
Drug and alcohol abusers
People with learning and physical disabilities
The homeless
The elderly
Orphanages
Child headed houses
Early pregnancies

4. The Disease Burden The life expectancy-below 51 years average
Decline in infant and under five mortality, BUT overall Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR) and prevalence of HIV/AIDS, Malaria and Tuberculosis still high
Intervention-Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission (PMTCT), Counselling and Testing, distribution of Insecticide Treated Nets, health care to orphans, the elderly etc.
Challenge: Increased social worker workload

5. Fertility and Mortality

6. Age Dependency and Life Expectancy

7. MoHSW Challenges Uncontrolled population growth
Socio-cultural changes, HIV/AIDS pandemic and poor socio- economic trends
The situation: welfare services are in great demand due to these increasing social problems, which are exacerbated by poverty, and the effects of HIV/AIDS

8. Population in

9. Specific Social Problems
Specific problems which need social welfare services interventions including:
Child labour, early pregnancies, child abuse, child neglect and family rejection
Alcohol and drug abuse, increasing levels of destitution, commercial sex (prostitution), cases of sexual assault

10. Specific Social Problems
Households headed by children and /or elderly people
Family disintegration, marriage breakages, number of street children, number of orphans, vulnerable children
Widows/widowers, elderly (aging), human trafficking especially children

11. Human Development Index (1=most developed)

12. Rationale for Community Based Social Work
The shortage on the social welfare staff
Decentralization Policy: Social Welfare services to be rolled out to the lower levels (Previously Social Welfare services were rendered at Central and Zonal level only)
The government policy of 2002 which does not allow standard seven leavers to be employed as social workers

13. Rationale cont.
Scheme of services does not allow employment of lower level Social Welfare cadres including the certificate and diploma level
These cadres are trained at the Institute of Social Work Dar es Salaam but in most cases are employed by the private sector employed in the government facilities

14. HSWS: Organization and Institutional Framework
The Government operates decentralized health system, i.e., three functional levels:
District (Level I),
Regional (Level II) and
Referral hospitals (Level III)
Community Based Social Work is practical:
It is offered from the village level
Reduces bureaucracy in implementation
Principle of subsidiarity-decentralization

15. Quality Livelihood Promotion
Lack of sources of financial services (esp. rural areas)
High information barriers, infrastructure, women being neglected
Poor linkages with the formal sectors
Bureaucracy in reaching out to the poor
Poor accessing the national services in the economy

16. Way Forward
CB Social work - inclusion of the youth (and low- income earners)
Make available and accessible financial services and opportunities to the youth
CB-SW makes the services cost effective, fair and transparent
Mainstream the youth, women, low income earners in the national welfare services agenda

17. Community Based SW: Goals
Enhancement of quality of life and wellbeing of vulnerable individual, groups and families
Early childhood care and development
Transformation of social welfare services: Accessible, Available, Affordable, Approachable
Enhances: subsidiarity and collegiality

18. Example: SAUT – Partners Projects
SAUT & Western Ontario University: local women’s groups on a sustainable nutrition focused social-enterprise based on probiotic yoghurt
These micro-enterprises have economically empowered women
A means for women to facilitate health within their communities
Enhanced the local economy- the probiotic yoghurt is helpful for people living with HIV/AIDS and nutritionally compromised

19. SAUT-Partners Project
Under the leadership of Kivulini, NIMR, SAUT, BMC and CUHAS -establishment of:
Micro-enterprises which have grown from three to ten community (probiotic yoghurt) kitchens in Mwanza
Since 2012, approximately 4000 people have been purchasing the probiotic yoghurt or receiving it free of charge as beneficiaries living with HIV/AIDS

20. Intervention at Community Level
Probiotic bacteria has been shown to build immune response, and reduce diarrheal diseases that occur because of prolonged use of antibiotics, ARV’s and HIV/AIDS itself
As a nutritious food supplement, the probiotic yoghurt would be an ideal addition to the management of HIV/AIDS in Tanzania
 Increase food security
Secure the future of children and youth
Stimulate sustainable economic growth

21. TISW & Partners in Training SW
Tanzania Institute of Social Work (ISW)
Strengthen the Tanzania’s social welfare workforce and to strengthen the social work profession in Tanzania
Goal 1: Organizational development, advocacy, recruitment and retention and establishing a regulatory framework
Goal 2: Establishment of national Social Work Council to regulate the social work profession
Goal 3: Enhance continuing education for SWs

22. Tanzania Association of Social Workers (TASWO)
The national professional association for social workers in Tanzania
TASWO is non-profit and nongovernmental and was established and registered in May with a registration no. SO 629
TASWO: professional liaison body which incorporates National, Regional and International associations
Furthering the development of social work professional values, ethics and interests

23. The Social Work Council of Tanzania
Registration and regulation of social workers
Ensure actors are informed of the needs and objectives the Social Work profession
Recognition of the profession of social work
Preventing the use of unqualified staff
Provide public protection-get services from qualified social work staff
Recognition of a statutory accreditation authority of institutions which offer SW training

24. Training Trends in Social Work
The AIHA (American International Health Alliance (AIHA)
Social Work Program expanded in Involves strengthening of social work education by standardizing and harmonizing BSW and MSW programs in potentially twelve institutions in Tanzania
Tanzania Emerging Schools of Social Work Education Program (TESWEP)
Partnership with JACSW/MATEC of the University of Illinois in Chicago

25. References Hyena Square - Published on Mar 14, 2014 on Youtube
Hyena Square (2007): Hyena Square in Dar Es Salaam is a hang out for Tanzania's young prostitutes For downloads and more information visit

26. References
Open Data for Africa: g/tanzania-country-outlook-economic- business-environment-and-health-sector
Vinisha Venugopal (2014). African Development Bank Group
World Development Indicators and Global Development Finance (September, 2011)
World Population Prospects. The Revision. (Updated June, 2011)