450 families in Phalombe to receive cash transfers

The Catholic Development Commission of Malawi (Cadecom) has launched a project to disburse money to 450 households affected by last year’s disasters in Phalombe District.

Speaking in an interview at Likula Village, Traditional Authority Chiwalo, Cadecom national coordinator Chimwemwe Ndhlovu said beneficiaries will receive K45 000 each through cash transfers.

She said they loaded the money in tap-and-pay cards which beneficiaries will receive to redeem their cash.

“The project is in pilot phase and each household’s card will be loaded with K45 000 each month for the next three months. We want to enable beneficiaries get basic needs,” said Ndhlovu.

Oxfam Ireland digital innovations programme manager Daniel Pasquini, whose organisation is supporting the cash transfer, said the project, which engages small and medium-size enterprises to provide food and other basic goods in exchange for the money from the cards, was piloted in Zimbabwe where it proved successful.

“It is a good way to meet the needs of vulnerable communities and help small and medium enterprises that are part of the community,” said Pasquini.

A beneficiary, Falesi Yakweyakwe, said she did not harvest anything last year because tropical storms Ana and Gombe washed away her crops.

Cadecom is implementing the $50 000 (about K51 million) Unblocked Cash Project with funding from the European Union through Oxfam in Malawi.