By PATRICK KABWE –
GOVERNMENT is implementing a number of social protection programmes aimed at cushioning the impact of poverty among vulnerable people in the country. 
One such programme is the Social Cash Transfer (SCT) scheme where Government, through the Social Welfare Department, is supporting vulnerable families with bi-monthly financial grants. This money is helping to change the lives of poor and vulnerable people in society. 
Since assuming office in August 2021, the new dawn administration has continued to roll out this programme.
Currently, 880,000 households are receiving the regular social cash transfer which is supported by the World Bank.
The move by the Government to increase the number of SCT beneficiaries to about one million is evidence that the new dawn administration has been hailed by citizens. 
The Government is, however, earmarked to increase the number of beneficiaries to over one million households under the scheme.
Of the total national beneficiaries, 104,447 people are benefiting from the scheme in Northern Province.
The Government has also listed an addition of 7,215 people to be put on the programme this year in the province.
In this programme, incapacitated families are entitled to a bi-monthly salary of K300 while identified families keeping members with disabilities are getting K600, which funds have since been increased to K400 and K800 respectively this year.
The Department of Social Welfare in the province has just disbursed a total sum of K36,916,700 to beneficiaries for the months of November and December, 2021.
Additionally, the Government also released K2,851,632 towards the Keeping Girls in School project meant to support girls living in Social Cash Transfer households in Chilubi, Kasama, Luwingu and Mungwi districts.
Recently, Northern Province Minister, Leonard Mbao, conducted a tour to witness the disbursement of the funds to beneficiaries in Kaputa, Nsama, Mporokoso, Lunte, Luwingu, Lupososhi and Chilubi districts.
Mr Mbao re-affirmed that Government, under the leadership of President Hakainde Hichilema, is committed to improving the welfare of the underprivileged, such as the elderly persons, through programmes such as the SCT Scheme.
The provincial minister explained that the new dawn administration was a people-oriented Government which would not politicise the programme.
He said Government would ensure that SCT was accessible to every eligible Zambian regardless of political affiliation.
“The Patriotic Front (PF) Government used to politicise the scheme by telling people that once you vote for the United Party for National Development (UPND), the program will be abolished. But I am here today to tell you that on the contrary, the new dawn administration is increasing the number of beneficiaries and also the transfers from K300 to K400 and K600 to K800 respectively,” Mr Mbao said.
He added that Government recognised the many challenges faced by its people and assured them that the programme would not be abolished. 
Mr Mbao justified Government’s rationale to foster girl child education through various initiatives such as the Keeping Girls in School programme.
He said the new dawn administration wasalive to the many challenges faced by girls in schools, noting that unlike boys, the girl child had special needs that pose threats to their confidence and discourage them from being in school.
“To this effect, the Government has released K2,851,632 towards the Keeping Girls in School project to empower girls from underprivileged families that benefit from the SCT scheme with an upkeep token of K252 to help them meet their personal needs whilst in school,” he said.
This move, coupled by the introduction of the free education policy, is a clear indication of Government’s commitment to the empowering of the girl child through education.
In addressing the urgent needs of the underprivileged in society, Northern Province Permanent Secretary, Bernard Mpundu, said the Government had devised a comprehensive set of social protection programs identified in the National Development Plan.
Mr Mpundu said high poverty rates in rural Zambia had always been the new dawn Government’s priority as outlined in the UPND manifesto.
According to Mr Mpundu, the Government remains determined to improve the standard of living in the most impoverished households, especially those facing the greatest challenges in exiting poverty and for children in particular.
Mr Mpundu could not be more right by calling the beneficiaries to use the money prudently.
This is because the funds are meant to alleviate the challenges faced by the underprivileged.  
Northern Province Social Welfare officer, Sebastian Passuwa said Government recognised social protection as a broad range of activities which aimed at protecting and promoting the welfare and livelihoods of the poorest and of those most vulnerable to risks and shocks.
These include destitute households, especially those that are severely compromised in terms of meeting their own needs and others living without adult care as well as women and children affected by violence.
Mr Passuwa said the programme had changed the living standards of the beneficiaries as most of them had invested the money in various income generating activities.
“We conducted a survey which proved that most families are doing small business which is enabling them to have three meals a day, increased human capital and productivity. Households have also increased their farming land and their livestock,” says Mr Passuwa, adding that others had increased the material needs of children such as clothes, shoes and blankets and the number of children attending school.
This development has so far further proved that providing cash directly in the hands of the vulnerable people in society has a positive impact in reducing poverty.
It is for this reason that beneficiaries must learn to invest the funds wisely.
On the other hand, Lunte District Social Welfare Officer, Blessing Masupelo, noted with pleasure that heads of beneficiary households understood the purpose of the transfers and make rational use of them by buying basic necessities like food.
“The programme has improved the living standards of the beneficiaries as most of them have invested the money in small businesses which are enabling them to have three meals a day as well as take their children to schools,” Mr Masupelo said.
He said some beneficiaries had invested part of the transfers in farming.
The scenario in Lunte is not different from the one in Chilubi, Nsama, Mporokoso, Lupososhi, Chilubi and Luwingu districts where the Provincial Minister, Leonard Mbao and his entourage visited.
Acting Mporokoso Social Welfare Officer, Faustina Kabwe, said several positive impacts had been demonstrated to date from the time the program was introduced in the district such as reduced poverty, increased food security and improved living conditions.
Currently, 4,378 households are benefiting from the scheme of which 4,060 are able-bodied persons while 318 are physically challenged individuals.
Nsama District Commissioner, Steward Katele and his Mporokoso counterpart, Brian Muyuni, appreciated the new dawn administration for its effort towards improving livelihoods for the underprivileged in society.
“The new dawn administration has really proved that it is a pro-poor Government hence we urge you as beneficiaries to use it for the intended purpose,” they said.
The beneficiaries, who have understood the purpose of the transfers, were thankful to the Government for continuing with the SCT programme.
They called for the timely release of the funds and consistency in the disbursement of the funds.
Speaking on behalf of other beneficiaries in Kaputa and Chilubi districts respectively, Maggie Nampemba and Delphine Chisanga said the scheme had helped them to sustain and restore dignity into their livelihoods.
Edna Katongo, a disabled beneficiary of Nsama district, said the SCT funds had enabled her to invest in a goat-keeping business and take care of her household.
The results from the impact assessment of the SCT programme in Northern Province indicate that the benefits of the program have increased food security, reduced poverty, improved living conditions and the wellbeing of the beneficiaries as well as increased production and asset ownership.-ZANIS