Minister hails social cash transfer’s impact

The Minister of Gender, Children, Disability and Social Welfare, Cecilia Chazama says she is impressed with the positive impact of the social cash Transfer programme on vulnerable people.

The minister said this in Blantyre at Chisawani Primary School in Mpemba on Tuesday when she witnessed the programme’s transaction.

“The programme aims at improving lives of people who are vulnerable in rural areas. The ministry is making sure that families that are child headed, elderly people, those who are chronically ill and people with disability are benefiting,” Chazama said.

“In addition, the programme is helping in reducing poverty in homes of the beneficiaries because people are using the funds to buy fertiliser and send children to school.  So, the programme is indeed making a difference.”

Blantyre District Commissioner Bennet Nkasala said the programme has improved the status of households in the district.

“We have seen people who could not afford a meal in a day but now can afford it and buy basic items in their homes. This means the programme is impacting positively on the livelihoods of the people,” Nkasala said.

Nkasala, however, said that the programme was facing a challenge of mobility due to the few vehicles at the council which was affecting supervision activities.

One of the beneficiaries, Emilitta Sandram, said the program has helped her a lot in her home because as a widow, she has no one to help her financially.

“Through the programme, I have managed to buy a blanket, mat and fertiliser,” she said.

In Blantyre, cash transfer delivery activities commenced in August this year and has managed to reach out to 7 454 households.

The Social Cash Transfer programme is being implemented in all 28 districts of the country with funding from Irish Aid and European Union (EU) among others.