The Contribution Of Electricity On Poverty Reduction Initiatives In Zanzibar: A Case Study Of Zanzibar Urban West Region

ABSTRACT

Electricity is the major energy source used across the world, and Zanzibar is part of the world that is continuously using electricity for domestic purposes and in production activities. The study sought to examine the contribution of electricity on poverty reduction initiatives in Zanzibar. The following were the study objectives: to determine the rate of growth of electricity in the study areas, examine the existing poverty reduction initiatives in Zanzibar Urban West region, asses the economic activities done by using electricity power by the people of Urban West region; examine the contribution of electricity to poverty reduction .The study is a case study based on the Urban West region. The methods used for data collection included the use of questionnaires, interviews and focused group discussion. The results of the study have revealed that electricity has much contribution on poverty reduction initiatives but due to the nature of activities the result showed that the populations of female respondents were small compared to the males respondents .The study findings concluded that electricity played a vital role on poverty reduction, this is because it created self employment in the society ,most of the youths in Zanzibar Urban West region, there production activities depended on electricity services. This study recommends that the government to reduce the cost of electricity services in order to enable the small entrepreneur to afford these services, ZECO to modify their machines to avoid frequent electricity cut off, in the side of society especially youths to increase skills through VETA education, in order to engage on self employment under this circumstance poverty would be reduced. 1 CHAPT