By Mary Makhiringa

Balaka, May 16, Mana: Parliamentary Committee on Governance Assurance and Public Sector Reform, Chairperson, Noel Lipipa said the committee was satisfied with the way Social Cash Transfer Programme (SCTP) yielded its intended purposes after observing that the programme improved beneficiaries’ livelihood.

He made the observation Wednesday at Mchenga Village in the area of Traditional Authority (TA) Nsamala in Balaka where the committee visited selected SCTP beneficiaries to appreciate the programme’s results.

He said it was encouraging to note that “from the little the beneficiaries receive monthly, some have managed to build houses with iron sheets and others buying different livestock such as goats, for their growth,”

Lipipa noted that some beneficiaries invest the cash into irrigation farming and after selling crops they use the money to send their children to school.

“We wanted to see the impact if at all the programme is impacting the society and so far so good with the places we visited. We cannot have a conclusive idea as this is just one region with one sample area. The Ministry is taking us to northern and central regions and in July. We should have a conclusive report when Parliament meet.”

The Parliamentary Committee observed that delay in receiving cash was one of major setback in SCTP.

“Delay in receiving the money and devaluation of the Kwacha are setback that the beneficiaries have mentioned. These have negatively affected the beneficiaries and have since asked if there could be an increase to the money they receive,” he noted

A single mother of four children, a SCTP beneficiary, Robina Mdala, 65 hailed government’s gesture for introducing the programme in her area saying it greatly transformed her life such that she managed to build two bedroomed house, roofed with iron sheets.

“I did not have a decent house.  Before this house, life was difficulty, in rainy season the house was leaking, I describe SCTP as my husband because apart from the house, I also bought goats and l am able to buy food for my family,” she added.

Social Welfare Officer responsible for SCTP, Mphatso Chisepa said 10,070 people are currently benefiting from the program with 68 percent of the total beneficiaries being from female headed households while 32 per cent is male headed.

Government introduced the SCTP in Balaka in 2013.