By Manasse Nyirenda

Rumphi, June 10, Mana: Elderly residents of Rumphi who recently graduated from the Social Cash Transfer Programme (SCTP), funded by the World Bank and the Multi-Donor Trust Fund, have praised the initiative for improving their quality of life in old age.

One of the beneficiaries of the programme, Dekapose Mkandawire, 83, of Magawa Village in the area of Paramount Chief Chikulamayembe, said on Monday that he now has an iron sheet thatched house.

He said that he was living in a grass thatched house before he was enrolled into the programme.

“I was in the programme for five years. To fully utilize the opportunity, I joined a village savings and loans group to save some money.

“Five years later, I have nine pigs, an iron sheet thatched house, piped water at my door step among other things which I have acquired through the programme,” said Mkandawire.

He added that he will maintain his membership in the village savings group to help grow the income his family earns from their local beer-selling business.

Another graduate of the program, Trytis Chirwa, 86, said she used part of the money to support her orphaned grandchildren with school necessities

She also built a house and brought running water to her home with the support her daughter who was managing her receipts before she graduated from the programme in the first quarter of 2025.

Desk Officer for the SCTP in Rumphi, Abel Ndlovu said that most beneficiaries of the initiative who have since graduated from the programme have built decent homes, established small scale businesses to sustain their livelihoods.

There are currently 5,062 SCTP beneficiaries in Rumphi.