Climate-Smart Enhanced Public Works Programme beneficiaries in Salima District have said the social protection initiative has given them a lifeline after struggling to raise income for basic necessities.
They said this on Monday when Salima District Council conducted an awareness at Ngodzi Trading Centre on the migration to electronic payment (e-payment).
awareness. | Max Medson
A beneficiary, Violet Nkhoma, from Saopampeni Village said the wages she gets from the initiative help her buy household necessities.
She, however, thanked the council for abandoning manual payment system, saying it had many disadvantages.
“Almost everyone in the village knew when and where we would receive payments. E-payment is safer because we will not have to walk distances with the money,” she said.
Another beneficiary, John Katchezela, from Mchepa Catchment Area commended the new system for reducing the burden of travelling long distances to access cash.
Salima district Climate-Smart Enhanced Public Works Programme facilitator Josephine Ngaivale said the shift to e-payment was prompted by key challenges associated with the manual system.
“There are over 19 000 clients; hence, paying them with cash takes long, mostly two weeks. In addition, during the rainy season, most rural areas are hard to reach,” she said.
The awareness sought to enlighten community members that government is promoting digital financial inclusion among rural communities.
