By: Steve Chirombo

Dedza, November 13, Mana: Social Welfare Officer for Dedza District Council, Emmanuel Khumba, on Tuesday expressed gratitude to various partners, microfinance institutions and banks for implementing mindset change interventions among Social Cash Transfer Program (SCTP) beneficiaries in the district.

Khumba described the partners as game changers for a successful implementation of the program saying most beneficiaries have ventured into businesses and are able to use the funds for the intended purposes.

He made the remarks during a tour to some beneficiary households in Group Village Head Kantema under Senior Chief Kamenyagwaza in the district.

He cited low literacy levels among most beneficiaries as a major challenge. He however said the program was registering major successes due to mindset change interventions as more beneficiaries are now able to set up businesses and are able to calculate profits, how to grow crops, as well as how to rear different animals on a small scale.

"With such initiatives, we have seen great improvements in a number of beneficiaries where such partners are operating from," he said.

One of the beneficiaries, Florida Chaola, said since she enrolled into the program, her life has changed for the better.

"I now have some pigs and I am able to provide for my household. We really struggled with hunger and poverty before we joined the program. But the situation is better now," she said.

Another beneficiary, Thamson Guya, said he used to sleep in a grass thatched house before he joined the program.

According to Guya, proceeds from the sale of pigs out of the first payment he got from the program, went towards buying iron sheets for his house.

"I am now a happy man together with my entire household. We also invested some money into our farming activities which have seen us having enough food, providing for our children's education as well as meeting our needs," he said.

Mefereniya Manyozo, another beneficiary of the program, said her story is different now as she owns goats which she believes will multiply with time.

"Hunger, lack of clothes as well as food were our major problems. But we can now breathe because we have two goats and the money we get from the program is also covering some gaps," she said.

While thanking government and other partners for the support, Manyozo went on to say that it is her dream to see her house improved.

There are 19,600 SCTP beneficiaries in Dedza District.

The program which targets 10 percent of the country’s ultra-poor population is funded   by the World Bank and the Multi-Donor Trust Fund.