Poverty alleviation of labour-based infrastructure delivery: the case of Dar es Salaam (Tanzania)

Abstract

Labour-based technology (LBT) is a strategy popularised by international organisations such as the International Labour Organisation (ILO), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the World Bank, to address poverty, unemployment and infrastructure provision especially in informal urban settlements. More emphasis has been placed on using the LBT approach in sub-Saharan countries where unprecedented urbanisation is taking place leading to the formation of informal settlements, high levels of unemployment accompanied by poverty. The LBT approach has been implemented in many developing countries. However, there is little available evidence of the long-term impact of LBT on poverty alleviation and employment creation opportunities. This article reports on employment creation opportunities and poverty alleviation while delivering infrastructure using LBT in informal settlements in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. A qualitative research approach was used which included personal interviews of the residents who were directly involved in infrastructure provision in the Hanna Nasif informal settlement using LBT. The infrastructure delivery project in Hanna Nassif commenced in 1994 and was completed in 2000. The research was conducted four years after the project had been completed, namely in 2004. The findings reported in this article provide base line data for policy makers and researchers, while contributing to understanding the long-term impact on employment creation opportunities and poverty alleviation using LBT. The article concludes with a proposal for a LBT-Poverty Alleviation framework.