Role of National Service in Enhancing Youth Livelihoods in Tanzania: A Literature Based Evidence.

Abstract

The role of National service on livelihoods in Tanzania remains to be vague more especially among the youth despite a number of development projects conducted by National service in Tanzania. This paper therefore explores the role of national service in enhancing youth livelihoods in Tanzania. The paper also recommends strategies of facilitating the National service of Tanzania to more effectively contribute to this aspect. This work utilises secondary data reviewed from various relevant and authentic sources. Thematic data analysis strategy was employed based on the five themes [aka assets] pre-determined from the sustainable livelihood framework namely natural, physical, human, social and financial assets. Findings show that the National Service in Tanzania has significantly contributed to the youth livelihoods and sustainable development in general in Tanzania through enhancement of the five mentioned assets of the sustainable livelihood framework. The paper recommends that, constraints related to resources scarcity, shortage of skills, financial inadequacy, poor management etc. should be alleviated in order to guarantee much smoother development operations of the National service in Tanzania that would guarantee the livelihood of the youth.