Implementers of the Social Cash Transfer Program (SCTP) also known as Mtukula Pakhomo, says the program has transformed lives of beneficiaries in Nkhotakota district.
The implementers said many households have managed to buy livestock and some are keeping money through Village, Saving and Loans Banks (VSL) showing an improvement in the people’s way of living.
However, despite the success stories, some beneficiaries claim that the amount of money received is too low for saving, since the amount depends on the number of family members.
Presenting the progress of Mtukula Pakhomo to the District Social Support at a meeting held at the boma, Nkhotakota District Council’s Monitoring and Evaluation Officer, John Manda, said a visit to 34 beneficiary families in all the areas of traditional authorities in the district has revealed that the program is registering remarkable achievements in the communities.
Manda said the program has helped reduce poverty levels for the beneficiaries with many affording three meals per day and some have acquired assets such as goats and pigs.
He said the visit to the SCTP beneficiaries had the objective of tracking progress, identifying challenges and making recommendations.
The officer said the beneficiaries are affording nutritious food which helps to foster their health and nutrition hence it is important for the program to continue being implemented to change the lives of the vulnerable households in the district.
Manda observed that the monitoring exercise conducted by the District Council officials revealed that some eligible beneficiaries were left out as the Unified Beneficiary Register (UBR) cannot pick each and every name for the program.
He expressed hope that those who have not been picked, will find their way into other programs in the district.
Nkhotakota is implementing the SCTP targeting 7,054 ultra-poor households in 74 village clusters with funding from the World Bank through the Local Government Finance Committee (LGFC).
By: Vincent Gunde
