Despite the establishment of youth empowerment initiatives by Local Government Authorities (LGAs), urban poverty among young people persists in Tanzania. This study evaluates the effectiveness, reception, and operational challenges of LGA-led poverty alleviation strategies in Mbeya City. Employing parallel mixed-methods design, it integrates survey data from 109 youth with qualitative interviews from 34 stakeholders, including officials and beneficiaries. Quantitative analysis was conducted using descriptive statistics and Pearson correlation models in SPSS, while thematic analysis of qualitative data was performed in ATLAS.ti. Six interventions were assessed: the Youth Development Fund (YDF), Vocational Training Centers, Public Works Programs, Digital Skills Training, Entrepreneurship Incubation Centers, and Public-Private Partnerships. Findings reveal significant correlations among interventions, indicating synergistic effects when implemented collectively. The YDF, vocational training, and public works were particularly valued for financial support and skills development. However, structural barriers—delayed fund disbursement, inadequate outreach, weak accountability, and gender inequalities—limit overall success. The study concludes that while LGA strategies demonstrate potential, their transformative impact is hindered by systemic inefficiencies. It recommends prioritizing high-impact programs, decentralizing services, improving information dissemination, strengthening monitoring frameworks, and embedding gender-sensitive approaches to enhance sustainable youth empowerment and urban poverty reduction.
Mpoto et al. (2025) studied this question.