Published Paper Details:

Worldwide, approximately 73% of the population remains uncovered by adequate social protection schemes. This is attributed by the fact that, social protection mechanisms in most low-income countries, to a large extent cover only formal sector workers while overlooking the majority in informal sector. For example, in Sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries, social insurance is limited to those in formal wage employment while social assistance is generally poorly funded and restricted to the urban areas. This paper sought to assess coping strategies towards sustaining income security among elderly worked in informal sector in Dodoma region. The research aimed at studying elderly who worked in informal sector bearing in mind that, workers in informal sector to a large extent are deprived of social and economic rights. The findings have revealed that in the absence of universal social protection mechanisms including universal old age pension, older people are involving in different activities so as to cope with different hardships and earn a living. Indeed, the study has reveled that most of coping mechanisms employed by elderly are non-regulated, uncoordinated and erratic including begging, supports from family network and casual labour. In employing their coping mechanisms elderly are faced with challenges including lack of elderly legislation, community negative perception towards ageism, poor physical health, financial constraints and lack of entrepreneurial skills.