The Contributions Of Remittances Of Rural Urban Migrants To Rural Household’s Wellbeing In Tanzania: A Case Of Tandahimba District

ABSTRACT

In developing countries like Tanzania rural-urban migration contributes to improving household‟s wellbeing in both urban and rural areas. As such, this study generally aims at examining how do remittances of rural-urban migrants contribute to rural household‟s wellbeing in Tandahimba district. The study specifically intended to investigate the contribution of remittances of rural-urban migrants to rural household‟s wellbeing, determine which groups of rural-urban migrants (employed or unemployed) who send more remittances, and finally to analyze which groups of rural household (male-headed or female-headed or larger or smaller) who received more remittances in Tandahimba district. To achieve the stated objectives a total of 204 heads of rural households was selected purposefully from (6) six wards in the Tandahimba district. Both primary and secondary data were employed and analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively, whereby heads of rural households were surveyed. Purposive and simple random sampling methods were adopted, to select households to be included in the study. The study concluded that, remittances from rural-urban migrants contributed in improving rural household‟s wellbeing, since they mainly use the received remittances on food, education and health services which increased to them accessibility to food, education and healthcare. These consumptive uses of remittances enhance rural household‟s feelings of self-respect, as well as their capacity to participate in the social life of their communities. At a theoretical level, the findings from this study will provide an understanding of the contributions and the relation between remittances and rural households wellbeing in Tanzania, particularly Tandahimba district.