ABSTRACT
This chapter aims to illustrate two growing social problems in Tanzania, namely, inability to cope with an ever increasing problems of orphans because of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS), and the growing number of beggars because of increasing poverty. The majority of the orphans live either with their grand parents or with the families of uncles or aunts. The quality of life and child care also suffers when AIDS enters the family. Even when food is available a mother is less able to prepare adequate meals for her children, either because she is spending most of her time caring for her sick husband or because she is also sick. Historically the traditional social structure was organised such that the responsibility for social welfare rested with the family. The burden of providing counseling and support to all those who are HIV positive and to those with AIDS is beyond the capacity of the Tanzanian government services to bear alone.
