Social accountability monitoring (SAM) is an approach widely employed by many civil society organizations to promote active participation of people in public resources governance processes, especially in the context where government traditionally is dominant in the planning, budgeting, expenditure management, performance, and integrity management processes. . Civic Social Protection Foundation (CSP) with support from Norwegian Church Aid is implementing a SAM intervention in two councils of Manyara region namely Babati DC and Mbulu DC.

The intervention was necessary as the existing PETS teams are lacking basic skills in some areas related to approach, methodology, linkages, collaboration, the information needed, and engagement of communities in the public resource management process. Therefore, CSP being an organization with vast experience in supporting public resources governance interventions at the community level, with financial support from NCA has engaged in supporting the already established village PETS committees in two councils of Babati DC and Mbulu DC in Manyara region through the establishment, training, mentorship and upgrading PETS committees to SAM teams.

The aim is to create a team of professionals in Social Accountability Monitoring who will comprise some PETS committee members from villages and representatives from other partners/NGOs who will empower a citizen to effectively and actively demand justification and explanation from duty bearers in allocation and use of public resources. The SAM intervention specifically targets community economic empowerment groups that District Council facilitates through the 4:4:2 loans scheme.

One of the SAM training sessions is in progress

Hence, the aim is for the trained SAM team to empower group members and other responsible stakeholders to demand justification and explanation from duty bearers on modality, management, involvement, scope, and accrued benefits through the five stages of Social Accountability Monitoring.