Paper short abstract:

While the mainstream literature indicate that non-state cash transfers undermine the sovereignty of the state and state-society relations, practical examples show that this is not always the case as these cash transfers complement what the state is doing in improving livelihoods of the poor.

Paper long abstract:

The paper addresses the state-NGOs power relations through giving money to the poor (cash-transfers) in Tanzania. The post structural adjustment mainstream literature on NGOS in Sub-Saharan Africa, suggest that social cash transfers undermine state sovereignty and state-society relations. This paper asks: is it always the case? The paper builds upon the earlier work of Kilonzo et al, (2019: 152) on citizenship non-state organizations contributing to state projects instead of demanding from the state. Tanzania provide an alternative way of understanding active citizenship, which suggest contributing for state projects as a different ways of articulating the state-society relations. In this paper we argue that cash transfer by International NGOs, can under certain conditions complement the state’s efforts instead of destabilizing them. This is particularly the case when non-state organizations give cash directly to the needy, they are actually participating in the state development plan in addressing poor people’s livelihoods. We draw and analyze data from different actors including NGOs, national and local government levels, and cash recipients from selected projects in north-western Tanzania.