Social cash transfer has reduced poverty-Muwana

Government has disclosed that the social cash transfer scheme has reduced extreme poverty by 5.4 percentage points in provinces where the programme has been implemented.

Lusaka Province Permanent Secretary Wamunyima Muwana said this is according to the impact evaluation study which government conducted through the Ministry of Community Development, Mother and Child Health.

Mr. Muwana said in a speech read for him by his deputy Bright Nundwe during a sensitisation workshop on the social cash transfer scheme in Lusaka today that the programme has had a great positive impact on the lives of people in many communities.

He noted that the welfare of beneficiaries of the scheme has tremendously improved adding that vulnerable households benefiting from the programme were now able to afford basic needs such as adequate meals and schools fees for their children among others.

Mr. Muwana said this was in itself a clear indication of the impact the social cash transfer scheme has had on the poorest and vulnerable people in society.

He said government decided to massively scale up the programme because results were there for everyone to see and acknowledge.

Mr. Muwana has since urged all stakeholders to fully support the department of social welfare in the implementing the programme in order to improve the lives of citizens that were living in poverty.