Tanzania

Children collect firewood in Qaru Village. CRS-funded contouring of the hilly terrain to prevent soil erosion while helping redirect rainwater to underground aquifers. Photo by Sara A. Fajardo/CRS

The juxtaposition of Tanzania as one of the world's poorest countries alongside its abundant natural resource wealth has fueled great interest and investment from both donors and the private sector. Tanzania is often held up as a good example of social harmony amidst an ethnically and religiously diverse country, with a stable and democratic political system. However, the country's rapid economic development in recent years is not spreading its benefits equally, and high rates of poverty continue to persist, especially in rural areas. A nascent but increasingly active civil society is beginning to challenge entrenched political and economic interests in an effort to promote greater accountability, social service provision and human development for the majority.

With roughly 75 percent of the population living in rural communities with inadequate access to social and financial services and transportation infrastructure, East Africa's largest nation still faces many development challenges that continue to hold down the poorest of the poor.

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