Research Shows Social Cash Transfer Programme Is Supporting Utra-poor Households

Government says positive strides are being registerd in the Social Cash Transfer Programme (SCTP) observed since its introduction in 2006.

The programme targets 10% ultra-poor and labour constrained families in the national population.

It has an objective of improving resilience and the quality of life of the poor to move out of poverty and vulnerability through increase in school enrolment and attendance, improve health and nutrition of children as well as reducing poverty and hunger among the target group.

Minister of Gender, Children, Disability and Social Welfare honorable Patricia Kaliati says a recent evaluation by Boston University and Centre for Social Research at Chancellor College has shown that the programme currently reaching out to 104,908 households has met its objectives. 

Hon Kaliati says now supported families are among others able to engage in small scale businesses, employ labour in their field as well as have improved nutritional and health status.

"The Social Cash Transfer Programme is effective and has born remarkable impact on the utra-poor and labour constrained houses holds." 

"We have registered improvements in school enrollment and attendance from both primary and secondary school. We have seen people building good houses out of benefits from cash transfer programme, and also these families are able to eat two meals a day." Says Kaliati

Currently the programme is in 18 out of 28 districts in the country and the minister assured that in two year time the government plans to spread it into the remaining districts.

The programme provides monthly cash transfers to the households calculated based on the households structure plus the number of school going children in the beneficiary households.

Cash transferred to household beneficiaries includes school bonus for each child enrolled in primary and secondary school for school related materials such as uniform, notebooks pens and other materials. However the minister has revealed that the transfers provided to beneficiaries is being reviewed to an average of K4,500 per household per month based on cost of living which is yet to be approved.

SCTP is being implemented with financial support from Malawi government, German Government, Irish Government, European Union and World Bank.