People in Chiradzulu District have expressed optimism that they will sustain the gains made under the Social Cash Transfer Programme.
Speaking in an interview on Sunday, one of the beneficiaries, Aida Billy from Masauli Village in Traditional Authority (T/A) Sandraki, said the financial support she receives enables her to provide food and other basic necessities for her family.
She said her life was miserable before she became a beneficiary of the programme in 2017.
“I used to live in a dilapidated grass-thatched house. My family members were also going to bed hungry. However, the story is different now,” said Billy.
She said to increase her earnings, she joined village savings and loans groups.
“After sharing the dividends, I invested it in small-scale businesses. Now, I have built a decent house, bought a bicycle, seven goats and chickens,” said Billy.
Another beneficiary Aida Tung’ande, from Makanani Village in T/A Mpama said before joining the programme her two children could not attend school because she could not afford learning materials.
“I joined a village savings and loans group and started a small business, which enables me to support my family,” she said.
Just as others, Tung’ande has also accumulated assets such as livestock. She encouraged other beneficiaries to invest the money because the programme will phase out.
On her part, Chiradzulu District Council assistant social welfare officer Alice Malaya said she was pleased to see the programme’s positive impact.
“The programme’s goal is to reduce poverty and hunger among ultra-poor and labour-constrained households. So, seeing the beneficiaries using their money to improve their living standards is a testament of its success,” she said.
The programme is targeting 9 000 households in the district with support from the World Bank.
