The contribution of microfinance on livelihood development of the people living with HIV/AIDS (plwhas) cases of caritas-Dar es salaam
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Date
2008
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Publisher
Sokoine University of Agriculture
Abstract
Proponents of microfinance often state that its primary purpose is to provide
investment capital for micro-enterprise development so that clients can grow their
income and assets, smoothen their consumption, manage their risks better and enjoy
an improved livelihood. A complementary microfinance strategy is to assist clients
to protect their income and assets from the impact of crisis events such as AIDS,
natural disasters or conflict. Tanzania being one of the country found in sub-Saharan
Africa faces a serious AIDS epidemic and the people most at risk - the poor in
general, and poor women in particular - are also target groups for microfinance
initiatives. MFIs in Tanzania cannot ignore the reality of HIV/AIDS given the impact
it does and will continue to have on their clients. This unique characteristic of the
epidemic has been treated as an adverse condition, limiting the households' ability
and willingness to react early. However, with a properly designed policy response.
the 5-7 years between the HlV-infliction and the height of AIDS can be utilized to
reduce the economic vulnerability of the HIV-afflicted households. The primary aim
is to limit the negative coping strategies (reduced food consumption, use of savings
and sale of assets) and to reinforce the positive coping strategies (income
diversification) of the households. This step will potentially avoid economic collapse
of the households due to too much strain in the worst stages of the illness. Financing
the HIV/AIDS inflicted clients via microfinance is the most viable option, as the
informal financial sector is unsustainable and the formal sector is out-of-reach for
this high-risk group. The sustainability of the microfinance programs can be
mitigated by transferring resources from the non-AIDS population in the form of
savings. This research paper attempts to describe ways that microfinance Institutions
(MFIs) in Tanzania can assist their clients to cope with the impact of HIV/AIDS
when struggling to boost their business in the cause of fighting poverty and
improving their livelihood.
Description
Masters Dissertation
Keywords
microfinance, livelihood, hiv/aids, caritas, Dar es salaam