With only three months left for the MASAF IV project to wind up, significant strides are being made to ensure that the Social Support for Resilient Livelihoods Project (SSRLP) fully hits the ground in 2021.

NLGFC Director of Infrastructure and economic development, Paul Chipeta said SSRLP is built on lessons drawn from both MASAF IV and Enhanced Public Works Program (EPWP), the new objective is to improve resilience among ultra-poor and vulnerable population and to strengthen the national platform for safety nets in Malawi.

“SSRLP is guided by Malawi Social Support Program II (MNSSP II), with emphasis on moving beyond a primary focus on consumption support to include resilient livelihoods and linkages between safety nets and other programs among other things. That is why a greater focus is on Social Cash Transfer Program (SCTP) as an anchor programme and enhanced livelihoods support based on the MASAF IV lessons,” said Chipeta.

Since funds for running the project were passed by parliament in May this year, several processes and preparatory activities have been carried out under the project’s various components.

For instance, the Project Steering Committee has been set up and the Project Implementation Manual (PIM) developed. On the other hand, COMSIP Cooperative Union has developed a handbook for livelihood interventions while manuals are being developed for the scalable safety nets subcomponent.

In the wake of Covid 19 pandemic, Malawi Government under the same component, is also implementing the Covid 19 Urban Cash Intervention (CUCI) as a COVID-19 response to cushion livelihoods of the urban poor and those whose livelihoods depend on availability of piece work employment.

CUCI is being implemented in Mzuzu, Lilongwe, Blantyre and Zomba. So far, Targeting was done in Blantyre and Lilongwe. The first payments are expected to be transferred this December. The payments will be drawn from the SSRLP as the project is also designed to factor in response to emerging shocks and disasters.