Mchinji Council to retarget social cash beneficiaries

Mchinji District Council says it will retarget beneficiaries under the Social Cash Transfer Programme to include the ultra-poor and labour -constrained households.

Speaking in an interview on Wednesday, Mchinji district principal social welfare officer Emmanuel Gervazio said they will pilot the exercise in Traditional Authority (T/A) Mavwere using data extracted from the Unified Beneficiary Registry (UBR).

He said: “The district is expected to enrol 13 400 beneficiaries from the current 9 466 in the retargeting exercise.

“Using the UBR will ensure that the ultra-poor are included in the programme compared to the case now when some households are still under the programme many years after their lives transformed.”

One of the beneficiaries, Ellina Zalira, said the retargeting exercise was good as it will allow deserving people to benefit from the programme.

“I am one of the people who face challenges in taking care of three grandchildren as their parents died. I believe I will be included in the programme,” she said.

Meanwhile, some beneficiaries Malawi News Agency interview, said the programme had transformed their lives.

Elizabeth Mbewe, community member from Kayesa Village in T/A Zulu, said she started receiving money under the programme in 2008.

“My family was in abject poverty by the time I became a beneficiary. Now 14 years down the line, I can stand on my own financially,” she said.

The Social Cash Transfer Programme pilot scheme was launched in Mchinji District in 2006 targeting the ultra-poor and labour-constrained households with support from KfW Development Bank.

Later, government extended the programme to other districts in the country under different donors.