Matunga, Benta N.Chang'a, Haji H.Kontinen, TiinaKilonzo, R. G.2020-03-202020-03-202019Kilonzo, R. G., Matunga, B. N., Chang'a, H. H., & Kontinen, T. (2019). Habits of contributing citizenship: Self-help groups in rural Tanzania. In K. Holma & T. Kontinen (Eds) (2019). Practices of citizenship in East Africa. London: Routlege.https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429279171http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12661/2244Abstract. Full Text Book Chapter available at: https://doi.org/10.4324/9780429279171The chapter examines self-help groups in rural Tanzania as practices in which citizenship habits are formed. Self-help groups are referred as locally organized groups established to address the needs and challenges of the members. From the point of view of pragmatism, self-help groups provide concrete examples of a specific form of associated life and of a general human activeness in addressing shared problems. Based on interviews and focus-group discussions conducted in Kondoa district with local self-help groups, the characteristics of these practices are analyzed through three themes: the kinds of shared problems the groups address, the governance of internal interaction of the groups, and the sorts of participants included. Based on our analysis, we suggest a habit of contributing citizenship emerging out of the participation in self-help groups.enSelf-help groupsCitizenship habitsAssociated lifeHuman activenessShared problemsKondoaPublic engegamentCitizenshipBook chapter