Introduction

The Social Cash Transfer programme was adopted to be one of the major social protection interventions whose aim is to continuously reduce extreme poverty in Zambia. The Program is among other social protection initiatives such as the Public Welfare Assistance Scheme (PWAS) which involves in kind transfers to the needy and the Food Program Management which is the provision of food to vulnerable households. These programmes implemented by the Ministry of Community Development and Social Services (MCDSS) for Incapacitated households.

The main aim of these programmes is to;

  • Provide and promote quality social welfare services
  • Alleviate poverty
  • Reduce destitution
  • Promote family values and
  • Reducing juvenile delinquency

 

Recommendations On The Way Forward ToSuccessfully Implement The Programme

In view of the challenges faced during the implementation of SCT in Zambia, PMRC recommends the following:

  • Set up and communicate an official channel for feedback from beneficiaries
  • Increases in budgetary allocations towards the SCT (increase in amount and number of beneficieries in comparison to poverty levels
  • Increased capacity building for integrated MIS and improved management systems will to reduce the administrative cost of implementing the SCT
  • Periodic forensic audits to ensure that there is an authentic data base of true beneficiaries.
  • Prioritizing monitoring and evaluation to avoid corruption and general aid diversion n Ensure that the transfer is more predictable and reduce the delays in payments. This will ensure that the beneficiaries are not inconvenienced
  • Establish a specific period for occasional registration of potential beneficiaries.