BY Chisomo Kambandanga

Nkhata Bay, September 18, Mana: Beneficiaries of Social Cash Transfer Program (SCTP) in Nkhata Bay are celebrating the program's transformative impact on their lives and economic resilience.

In an interview on Tuesday Botito Chitaya, 44, from Tayambapo cluster in the area of Group Village Head Kondawanga said before joining SCTP, he struggled to provide for his family of six.

"Previously I couldn't afford school necessities for my children, threatening their future. Now I can easily pay school fees for my form two child, Kondwani," he said.

"To mitigate potential economic shocks, I have diversified my income streams by investing in pig farming, selling fish and joined village banks to have access to loans," Chitaya added.

According to Chitaya, the capital base of all this is from usual transfers of MK52, 000.00 he receives and the once off lean season response payment of K170, 000.00 he had in the previous year.

Elesi Gama, 35, a single mother of four from Kachenga Cluster in the area of Group Village Head Chang’ombe praised the program for transforming her life and family.

“Before the program, I was struggling to make ends meet, with no domestic animal. Today I have 12 local chickens which I am able to sell and buy some needs for family, my children are able to eat the eggs for improved nutrition and I have just bought a goat at MK50 000.00 from my savings from village savings and loan groups,” Gama said.

Nkhata Bay Principal Social Welfare Officer responsible for Social Cash Transfer Wisdom Mwafulirwa said was impressed that beneficiaries in the district are diversifying income sources and joining savings groups.

“During pay days we always take time to talk to beneficiaries about goals of the program. I am glad to say as a district we are moving in the right direction as beneficiaries are now able to do multiple investments apart from just joining village savings banks, which is encouraging,” Mafulirwa said.

Currently 6,479 households are benefiting from the program in Nkhata Bay.

SCTP is Malawi Government’s Program being implemented across the country through the National Local Government Finance Committee with financial Support from Multi donor Trust Fund and World Bank