Before his involvement in the Social Cash Transfer Programme (SCTP), 44-year-old Botito Chitaya struggled to support his family of six in Group Village Head Kondawanga’s area in Nkhata Bay. Today, he enjoys multiple sources of income, thanks to the programme.
“I can now pay school fees for my Form Two child, from the profits I make selling fish,” said Chitaya. “I’ve also bought two pigs and joined a village savings group, which makes it easy to access loans when necessary,” he explained.
He attributes these achievements to the regular K52,000 he receives from SCTP, along with a one-time lean season response payment of K170,000 he received last year.
Currently, 6,475 households in Nkhata Bay benefit from SCTP, with the next roup of beneficiaries expected to be targeted next year.
Another beneficiary, Elesi Gama, a 35-year-old single mother of four from Kachenga Cluster, expressed optimism about her future. Gama, who has started poultry farming, hopes that by the time she graduates from the programme, she will own over five goats, adding to the one she has already purchased.
Nkhata Bay Principal Social Welfare Officer for Social Cash Transfer, Wisdom Mwafulirwa, commended the program’s participants for heeding advice to diversify their income sources and join savings groups.
By Chisomo Kambandanga, MANA
