Over 43,300 beneficiaries in Blantyre have on Monday received K150, 000 each, through electronic payment, under the Emergency Urban Cash Transfer program (Mtukula Pakhomo wa Mmizinda), totaling to over K6.6 billion.
The K15.7 billion program aims at uplifting the lives of 105,000 ultra-poor and vulnerable households in the cities of Blantyre, Lilongwe, Zomba and Mzuzu under the Malawi Social Protection program, to cushion them from price shocks, ease their access to food and other basic necessities as well as building their resilience against disasters.
Speaking to MIJ Online, Peter Chipeta Social Support for Resilience Livelihoods Program Coordinator for National Local Government Committee said government is implementing the program to make sure that people living in urban areas withstand the harsh economic times the country is sailing through.
According to Chipeta, the Program is being funded by the World Bank and Malawi Social Protection Multi Donor Trust Fund made up of Iceland. Norway, USAID, EU, UK and Ireland.
Meanwhile the funds have been transferred through electronic payment which according to Jane Chidengu, E-payment Specialist for NLGFC, is a more effective method of funds disbursement as many beneficiaries are reached at once as well making it easier for proper tracking.
“The government is encouraging e-payment for all social protection program because it’s one of the safest ways of paying beneficiaries especially when dealing with large numbers. For example if we were to use manual disbursement where council officials would go in the areas to disburse the money, it could have taken maybe over a week to reach out to all the 43,333 beneficiaries but with e-payment it is instant,” said Chidengu.