Communicating with the public: modern social security schemes and the transformation of traditional society in Tanzania

Historically the source of social security for a Tanzanian has been the extended family and the community. The pressures of modern life, however, have led to changes over the years, and the old safety net no longer applies to anything like the same extent, as the experience of the Chagga people of Kilimanjaro region makes clear. Yet only approximately 10% of Tanzanians are covered by the country’s modern social security schemes. An investigation is underway to find out why the take-up of formal social security is so low, whether poor communication between the social security industry, the government and the market is a factor,and if so how communication might be improved. As part of this investigation a survey is taking place of workers in the "informal sector" such as fishermen, mine workers and small traders; final year school and teacher training college students; and key players in social security provision