A beneficiary of the Social Cash Transfer Programme (SCTP) from Mlongoti Village in Rumphi, Jane Makungu, is now the proud owner of livestock she acquired through the programme.
The SCTP is a Malawi Government initiative funded by the Multi-Donor Trust Fund and the World Bank.
Makungu, who receives K9,000 per month from the programme, joined the Vision Village Savings and Loans group in 2019. This group enabled her to invest through share contributions, with profits distributed annually.
In 2023, she made a deposit of K250,000 as part-payment for a cow priced at K400,000. She completed the payment earlier this year, and the cow has since given birth to a calf.
At 68 years old, Makungu describes the SCTP as a life-enabler, allowing her to meet her household’s daily needs, such as food, through small-scale businesses funded by the programme.
Abel Ndlovu, Desk Officer for the programme in Rumphi, notes that many beneficiaries in the district have used the programme to acquire assets, including livestock, and to build decent homes.
By Manasse Nyirenda, MANA
