Troubled and challenged with raising and providing for their children’s well-being, female headed households have found solace in the government's social cash transfer program which is locally known as ‘Mtukula Pakhomo’.

Ellen Kayenda, a 36 year old mother of 3 who was dumped by her husband at a time her last born child was critically ill, is full of praises for the program saying it has transformed her life for the better.

“I received K18,000.00 during my very first month on the program of which K10,000 I used to buy a pig and the rest I used to buy some household and children’s needs”.

“The pig delivered 10 piglets. I sold the pig and 8 piglets and remained with two. I used the proceeds to start building a proper house for myself and the children. I also started a maize selling business apart from joining village savings and loans group,” said Kayenda.

To date, she is proud to say she owns a number of livestock’s including goats and chickens.

Through her business, she is now able to support her children, with one currently in secondary school.

50 year old Velentina Yona, single mother of 4, boasts how Social Cash Transfer has changed her life from doing piece jobs to becoming a successful tea room owner at Kalonga Trading Centre, Traditional Authority Kabudula in Lilongwe.

She says on a good day, she is able to make about K8, 000.00 which she uses to support her children, one which is physically challenged.

“I have been on this program for three years now and my life is not the same. I now have chickens, goats and also pigs at home apart from the tea room business that I am into.”

“I used to move around in people’s fields doing piece works but I stopped when I was enrolled on this program because now I am able to provide for myself and my children,” she said.

Aarnord Mndolo, Social Welfare Officer responsible for cash transfer in Lilongwe says there has been significant progress in improvement of people’s livelihoods in the district since the program’s inception in 2018.

He says, over 60 percent of the beneficiaries are now self-dependent and will possibly be able to graduate when their time is due.

“We always make an emphasis to the beneficiaries as they receive the cash that the money has to be used for the intended purposes which is to increase school enrolment of children from these families, improve their nutritional status and also empowering them into venturing into businesses for the betterment of their general livelihood,” said Mndolo.

The government of Malawi’s social cash transfer program is an unconditional transfer targeted to ultra-poor and labor constrained households.  

18 out 22 Traditional Authorities in Lilongwe are benefiting from the program which World Bank is supporting in the district through the National Local Government Finance Committee (NLGFC).

Story Credit: Nelly Kapatuka-District Information Officer, Lilongwe