By Sylvester Kumwenda

Dowa, May 1, Mana: District Trainers of Trainers (DTTs) from Dowa District Council have on Wednesday undergone an orientation on Case Management (CM) process, under the Social Cash Transfer Program (SCTP) to improve efficiency in case management under the program.

The Training, which also included members of the District Social Support Committee (DSSC) aimed at equipping the team with knowledge on how to handle various challenges or complaints that could arise under the SCTP.

Speaking during the orientation, Natasha Mtika, Chief Social Welfare Officer from Ministry of Gender, Community Development and Social Welfare said the orientation was crucial in empowering the team with case management knowledge and skills.

"In the course of implementation, there are some issues which may arise such as updates, suspensions, claims, change and replacement of household heads, complaints amongst others.

"So the training aimed at orienting the DDTs and DSSC on some of these issues, especially how they may handle these in adherence to SCTP protocols," said Mtika.

Some of the topics tackled during the training, which took place at Dowa Council Lodge conference hall, included Roles of Case Management stakeholders, Categories and Reporting Channels, and Case Management Protocols.

Gift Kambadya, Principle Social Welfare Officer for Dowa asked the DTTs to ensure they understand the Case Management protocols for the benefit of the participants.

"The orientation was important as it will help us in serving the participants better. After this, the DDTs will go into the communities and train local structures there on the same. So we are assured that the knowledge and skills acquired today will help in the implementation of SCTP in Dowa," said Kambadya.

He then urged the DSSC to continue supporting the program in terms of supervision and other activities.

In Dowa, the SCTP previously had 17,400 participants but the district has now targeted 19,043.