A delegation from KFW and the German Embassy on Thursday visited Mchinji District to appreciate the progress of the Social Cash Transfer (SCT) programme also known as ‘Mtukula Pakhomo’.
The SCT programme aims to uplift ultra-poor and labour-constrained households through direct unconditional financial assistance, and in Mchinji and other seven districts the programme receives support from KFW.
During the visit, Susanne Meltl, Deputy Head of Cooperation at the German Embassy, expressed her satisfaction with the programme’s impact on local communities.
The delegation visited one of the beneficiaries Grace Lufeyo of Ntonya Village in Traditional Authority Mavwere, who has improved her life by roofing her house with iron sheets, yielding enough maize for food and also has goats, all these coming from the cash transfers she gets.
Director of administration in the Ministry of Gender Ben M’bwana highlighted the programme’s crucial role in enhancing households’ resilience citing examples of disasters like tropical cyclones.
In the district, 10372 households are expected to receive their first transfers through manual payment for six months from October 2023 to July 2024.
A final manual payment for April to July 2024 will be made before the district transitions to electronic payment.
By Vincent Khonje-Mana
