Social Cash Transfer Programme Shapes up in Milenge

 By Linda Mupemo

Rosemary Mukosha

Rosemary Mukosha walks to her reed barn while balancing on two crutches. She keenly watches her farm worker as he empties a 50 kilogram bag of maize into the barn, filling it to the brim. 

Relief is written all over her face. For the coming months, her family does not have to worry about buying mealie meal. 

Rosemary is one of the 9,409 beneficiaries of the Social Cash Transfer (SCT) programme which government has been implementing in Milenge district in Luapula Province since 2012. 

A severe infection led to her left leg being amputated. Her condition qualified her to be selected as a beneficiary of the social protection programme under the physically challenged persons category. 

The 30-year-old resident of Lunga village in Mikula Ward says she has been receiving financial aid from the Ministry of Community Development and Social Services since 2017. 

Ms. Mukosha reveals that she has been engaging in farming activities with the K 800 she receives from the Social Welfare Department. 

" I cannot do heavy duties due to my physical state. But with the money I receive, I engage people to do farming activities on my behalf," she says. 

Ms. Mukosha grows maize not only for home consumption, but also for commercial purposes. 

She says in a good agricultural year, she harvests up to 22 of 50 kilogram bags of maize. 

"I sell some bags of maize to the Food Reserve Agency and save the money in the village bank. When the money multiplies at the end of the saving cycle, I re-invest it in farming," she explains. 

Ms. Mukosha also took this Reporter to her construction site where she is building a three bed-room house on her  30 by 40 meters 
piece of land. The project is currently on slab level. 

"The Social Cash Transfer programme has eased my financial challenges. I currently live with my parents but I can afford to buy myself basic needs. I intend to move into my home when I finish building," she says. 

Within Lunga village is another SCT beneficiary; Jane Mushili, a widowed mother of ten. 

When Mrs. Mushili's husband died, he left nine of their ten children under her care.  

Her first born is 26 years old, married and out of her nest while the other nine are in her custody. 

Mrs. Mushili discloses that she has been on the social protection programme since 2017, having qualified in the female-headed household category.  

"I use part of the money to buy school requirements for my children. I thank God for the introduction of the free education policy, my expenses have been lessened," she states.  

Mrs. Mushili receives K 400 under the programme, part of which she has invested in livestock farming which generates more income for her.

"I rear goats and pigs. I sell goats at K 500 each while each pig costs K700," she says. 

The burden of paying house rentals has been lifted off Mrs. Mushili's shoulder as she has built a three bed-room house she lives in with her children. 

The 47-year-old woman has also bought a radio cassette which she hires out at K 25 per day. 

Whenever people are having a birthday party or any celebration in Lunga village, they do not look further than the Mushili household for their musical entertainment needs. 

Jane Mushili's children and grandchildren having lunch at their
 home 

"My children and I never go to bed on empty stomachs, we always have food to eat, thanks to the Social Cash Transfer programme," she says. 

These women have demonstrated how they are multiplying 'two fish and five loaves of bread' by engaging in income generating activities with a view to improving their standards of living. 

In addition, the Social Cash Transfer programme has indirect beneficiaries in the area among them the business community. 

Milenge Business Association Chairperson James Chisenga observes that business owners record increased sales when SCT beneficiaries receive their bi-monthly transfers. 

Mr. Chisenga says the circulation of cash in the area increases as beneficiaries flock to the market to buy a variety of goods. 

"They buy a variety of merchandise ranging from groceries, bicycle spare parts, books to pens," he recounts.

According to the 2015 Zambia Living Conditions Monitoring Survey (LCMS), 54.4 percent of the population lives below the poverty line of US$ 1.25 per day. The country’s population is presently estimated to be 18 million. 

The LCMS further indicates that rural poverty levels stand at 76.6 percent while urban poverty is around 23.4 percent.  

Further, the 2018 Zambia Demographic and Health Survey indicates that Luapula Province is the second poorest province in the country. 

This shows that Milenge is one of the districts in the country with high levels of deprivation and vulnerability. 

Suffice to say the implementation of the Social Cash Transfer programme has played a vital role in promoting good nutrition and food security among beneficiary households. 

Ordinarily, most members of the community cannot afford to buy basic needs or feed their families since they are financially incapacitated.

 The Milenge Social Welfare Department started out with 1,534 beneficiaries when the social protection programme was rolled out to the area in 2012. Over the years, the number of beneficiaries gradually increased to 9, 409. 

Milenge District Commissioner Allan Mutale says the programme has been a powerful tool in alleviating extreme poverty in the area. 

The programme is presently being implemented in 52 Community Welfare Assistance Committees (CWACS) across the 15 Wards of Milenge constituency. 

"The Social Cash Transfer programme has reduced the intergenerational transfer of poverty in our community. Beneficiaries are able to buy basic needs and school requisites for their school going children," Mr. Mutale notes. 

Mr. Mutale discloses that of the 9,409 beneficiaries,  7,734 are females and 1,675 males.

The statistics further indicate that of the female beneficiaries, 7,242 are physically fit while 492 are physically challenged. Additionally, 1,405 male beneficiaries are physically fit while 270 are differently abled. 

Mr. Mutale notes that the lack of physical banking facilities in Milenge is the major challenge the Social Welfare Department grapples with in the implementation of the programme in the area.  

Officers have to travel to Mansa district, covering a distance of 225 kilometers to access banking services as they withdraw money allocated to the district. 

The situation increases the risk of handling huge sums of money longer than necessary. 

"We are calling on financial institutions to extend physical banking services to our district. Having physical banking facilities in Milenge will enhance the implementation of the Social Cash Transfer programme and other services," he says. 

Mr. Mutale adds that the Social Welfare Department is understaffed hence the two available officers are overworked. 

It is hoped that authorities will address the challenges hindering the smooth running of the programme so as to achieve its desired goal of eradicating extreme poverty as envisaged in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) number one.

Part 1:3 of SDG number one reads, “implement nationally appropriate social protection systems and measures for all, including floors and by 2030 achieve substantial coverage of the poor and the vulnerable."

This article was published in Zambia Daily Mail newspaper on 19th July, 2022.