Community participation in development projects: a case study of Tanzania social action fund projects in Kyela District Council

This study assesses the dynamics of local people participation in donor funded projects. Tanzania Social Action Fund (TASAF) is a project funding facility established by the government of United Republic of Tanzania in year 2000. The programme has been implemented in three phases, from the year 2000. The programme employs Community Driven Development approach. The approach is described to attract participation in the implementation of communities’ development projects. However there are challenges facing its achievements. The main question that this study sought to answer was: to what extent does the Community Driven Development approach attract people to participate in community development projects and therefore empowering them. Therefore, this study set out to explore the challenges facing Community Driven Development approach in community participation in Tanzania through Social Action Funded projects. The study was carried out in Kyela District, particularly in Ntebela and Unyakyusa Divisions respectively. This study used a combination of both qualitative and quantitative data collection methods where both primary and secondary data collection methods were employed. The study was guided by the Arnstein’s Ladder of citizen’s participation model. The study findings show that Community Driven Development Approach in Tanzania Social Action Fund’s projects is faced with a number of challenges. These include, inadequate communication and dissemination of information related to the projects, citizens’ lack of initiative to seek information related to community’s projects and citizens’ lack of awareness to the specific TASAF projects implemented in their respective areas. Furthermore, the study findings reveal that citizens’ participation in community projects is faced with structural challenges which include inadequacy of grassroots structures to involve citizens, and inadequate capacity of grassroots structures to implement these projects. The study recommends that structures for implementing community projects should embody concrete means and ways to involve citizens, sensitize and disseminate more information to citizens. Furthermore, capacity building programmes should be carried out to enable the grassroots structures leadership to carry out their duties effectively.