Impacts of Rural Savings and Credits Cooperative Societies (Saccos') Loans on Borrowers in Tanzania

This study applied the paired t-test and logistic regression analysis to assess the impacts of the rural SACCOS’ loans on borrowers in Tanzania where 431 borrowers from 37 rural SACCOS in Morogoro, Dodoma and Kilimanjaro regions were involved. The study noted that 73.5% of the rural SACCOS’ borrowers in Tanzania (P<0.01) realized the improvement of their livelihood on education and health, physical assets, crop yields and business capital. The study registered the increase of 50% to 200% of minimum and maximum value of the impacts variables after taking loans and the study noted that the high impacts of loans and low default rate for borrowers were positively related. This study recommends the following: borrowers should use credits risks mitigation techniques to reduce the amount of defaulted loans such as covering their business activities with insurance to minimize the credits risks, use loans according to the conditions stipulated in contracts, avoids multiple borrowing and the SACCOS should be keen in processing and followup of overdue loans. Moreover, the supervisory and regulatory role played by government of Tanzania to promote the rural SACCOS should be sustained.