Mukupa Writes

Disability grant gives Chikokomo a livelihood By Linda Mupemo Mackenzie Chikokomo sells vegetables to Chisamba District Social Welfare Logistics Officer Benard Tembo (center) and Social Welfare intern Linda Namala                                        Walking steadily with the help of  a crutch, Mackenzie Chikokomo weeds his vegetable garden on the shores of Mwomboshi river.  Although he needs mobility aids to support the right part of his body, he is undeterred in his farming endeavours.    Mr. Chikokomo, a small-scale farmer in Chisamba district in Central Province, is living with a disability which resulted from a crocodile attack when he was nine years old.    He secured a piece of land near the river to enable him grow crops all year round.    The 46-year-old, who is a father of two,  grows Chinese, kale and maize for sale as well as for ...

By Linda Mupemo  Yvonne Haching’anyu shows off her money Yvonne Haching’anyu  smiles widely as she recounts the sixteen K 50 notes she has just been handed by the Pay Point Manager (PPM) at Liteta Primary School.  Ms. Haching’anyu is one of the 7,970 vulnerable residents of Chisamba District in Central Province who were identified to benefit from the Drought Response - Emergency Cash Transfer (DR - ECT).  The 36 - year - old mother of three children qualified to be on the programme by virtue of her being an expectant mother.  Ms. Haching’anyu who sells vegetables and does odd jobs in the community to supplement her husband’s income says her business has been negatively affected by the drought that was experienced in the area during the 2023/2024 farming season.  “Most of my suppliers had crop failure due to poor rainfall. Others are now watering their vegetables using water from wells. However, the ground water level has gone low hence they have hiked the p...

 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 sh...