The World Bank says it is ready to provide rapid financial aid in response to extreme climate-related weather shocks. The sentiments were said by Chipo Msowoya, the Senior Social Protection Specialist at the World Bank during a one-day dynamic orientation session for the Scalable Safety Nets task force, in Mzuzu.

Mr. Msowoya said the session would also provide the delegates with an opportunity to reflect on the remarkable achievements made since the scalable inception in 2020.

‘This gathering is not only a platform to celebrate successes but also an opportunity to share valuable insights and lessons on implementing the scalable component of Social Support for
Resilient Livelihoods Project (SSRLP)’, said Msowoya.

Msowoya also acknowledged the importance of enhancing social protection delivery systems, including the Malawi Unified Beneficiary Registry, electronic payment systems, and grievance redress mechanisms, which play a crucial role in ensuring the effectiveness of scalable safety nets.

The training brought together participants from various government departments, such as the Department of Disaster Management Affairs, Department of Climate Change and Meteorological Services, NLGFC, Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs, Ministry of Gender, and Ministry of Agriculture, among others.

The Scalable Safety Nets initiative is designed to expand the Social Cash Transfer program, in the form of essential support to impoverished and vulnerable households during extreme weather-
related disasters.

It was initially piloted in Blantyre, Ntcheu, and Thyolo, supporting over 74,638 households, which is a significant milestone, representing 25% of the project’s ambitious target of 300,000 households.

Inthe 2021/22 season, the program disbursed MK5.6 billion, granting each beneficiary MK25,000 per month for three months.
The Senior Social Protection Specialist said the program has now extended to three more districts—Karonga, Chiradzulu, and Nkhotakota—where an estimated 116,357 households will
receive assistance, pushing the total number of supported households to 190,995, accounting for 64% of the project’s ultimate goal.

In the 2022/23 season, only Karonga district has triggered a pay-
out, with a substantial fund of MK1 billion set to be distributed to support 12,742 affected households, illustrating the program’s commitment to protecting vulnerable communities during climate-related weather shocks.

‘Together, the project seeks to enhance the livelihoods and resilience of both Social Cash Transfer Program (SCTP) and non-SCTP poor households when confronted with extreme climate-relatedweather shocks’, said Mosowoya.

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