“This booklet is a plain language guide to the Tanzania Participatory Poverty Assessment 2002/03 (TzPPA). The TzPPA study was commissioned by the Government in order to understand people’s vulnerability to poverty in Tanzania. Vulnerability refers to people’s chances of being poorer tomorrow
than they are today. This means that the study looked at forces that prevent people from getting their basic needs, instead of focusing on obvious signs of poverty such as hunger and lack of adequate shelter. In order to understand people’s vulnerability to poverty, the researchers talked directly with community members throughout mainland Tanzania. This report includes their stories,
insights and perspectives. The TzPPA explains that the forces that cause poverty—impoverishing forces—arise from social,
economic and political processes. People face risks caused by economic, environmental, health,governance, age-related and cultural conditions. Some examples of impoverishing forces include
climate change, orphanhood, disability and ageing. They can threaten to push people into poverty or cause them to become poorer than they were before. Therefore vulnerability and impoverishing forces must be addressed in efforts to reduce poverty and bring about sustainable development.”
