It is not a secret that Malawi is going through one of its worst economic tough times in the history of this nation.
Worse still, the current situation is a global trend, and has negatively affected operations across all sectors of economy.
Forex scarcity, a short supply of petroleum products as well as skyrocketing commodity prices are some of the major challenges that are pushing many households below the poverty line.
However, amidst these challenges, there are some vulnerable households that have managed to survive and continue to do so, thanks to social protection programs.
One such households is that of Rose Luhanga, a 34-year-old mother of three who is a Social Cash Transfer beneficiary.
Luhanga who hails from Pulimulide village in the area of Group village Head Mpasuka T/A Kapeni in Blantyre, was registered to benefit in the program in 2018 and since then her family’s livelihood has greatly improved.
As she narrates, the family managed to purchase goats for livestock and are able to meet needs of their three school going children using social cash in which she gets K24,000 every two months.
“At first life was hard in a way that we had zero source of income, but because of the monthly transfers, we are now able to provide for the children.” Said Luhanga
Luhanga said her family managed to save some of the funds gotten from the program to open a small hawking shop that is providing their day-to-day income at a time the nation is facing economic hardships.
“Yes, economic challenges have not spared us, however we are at least better off because with the little that we get from social cash, plus the small income that we are generating from the shop we are able to sail through these troubling times.” She added
Meanwhile authorities say the introduction of mobile transactions for social protection programs has improved efficiencies in distribution of funds to targeted beneficiaries.
Specifically for Blantyre where e-payment system was rolled out in April this year, beneficiaries in all targeted areas are now getting funds on the same day according to Kumbukeni Kawuwa, Principle Social Welfare Officer for Blantyre district council.
“So far, the progress has been good and the migration from manual paying system to e-payment system through TNM Mpamba has improved efficiency in funds disbursement to beneficiaries.
In the past we could spend two weeks to reach out to all social cash beneficiaries in Blantyre but now with the e-payment, every beneficiary can have the money on the same day.” Explained Kawuwa
Kawuwa has since told MIJ Online that Blantyre has registered improvement in the livelihoods of the ultra-poor households benefiting from the Social Cash Transfer program which is being facilitated by the National Local Government Finance Committee with funding from World Bank.