Chronicle Editor
Robin Muchetu, Senior Reporter
A TOTAL of 113 000 people from the country’s eight urban areas are benefiting from the Government’s Emergency Social Cash Transfer (ESCT) programme which was availed to vulnerable households to cushion them against the economic effects of Covid-19.
The programme, administered through the Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare, saw slightly above 25 000 households benefiting, and is going to continue under the Harmonised Social Cash Transfer (HSCT) while 18 000 more people are being targeted for the cash benefit in five rural districts. Each beneficiary has been receiving US$12 per month to cover at least four family members per household.
Deputy Director Family and Social Protection, in the Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Mr Joseph Tirivavi said the fund was meant to cushion vulnerable groups and households that had lost their source of income because of the health pandemic.
“It targets vulnerable households which are food poor (having one meal or no decent meal per day), labour constraint households — these are households with no person aged 19 to 59 years of age who is able bodied to do productive work so as to fend for the household. Labour constraint categories covered include child-headed households, elderly-headed households, households with a chronically ill member and households with a disabled member,” he said.
He said the Emergency Social Cash Transfer was part of the main programme which was the Harmonised Social Cash Transfer. Mr Tirivavi also said there was a component known as the Cash Plus which was an additional service to cash, such as the nutrition component cushioning pregnant women, lactating mothers and children under two years, provided they were in vulnerable households. Mr Andrew Kardan, Unicef Zimbabwe Social Policy Manager said they were impressed with the positive outcomes from the programme.
“A total of 113 000 individuals have benefited from the programme through smoothening their food consumption patterns, enhancing dietary diversity and improving nutrition status of children in beneficiary households. We are happy to note that the programme had good outcomes and from the benefits received some households went beyond buying food and supported their children’s education through paying school fees, some also used the money received to pay for medical bills. We also witnessed some good initiatives from some beneficiaries where they saved to start livelihood projects through saving clubs, which is very commendable,” he said. Unicef partnered the Government in supporting the ESCT programme in some suburbs in Bulawayo, Lupane, Binga, Gutu, Beitbridge and Harare’s Highfield and Mufakose. The programme, which started in 2020 and is implemented through World Vision International and Goal is meant to cushion vulnerable urban households from the adverse effects of the Covid-19 pandemic and in the process assisting Government to expand the Harmonised Social Cash Transfer programme.
Lupane and Binga districts have 1 031 beneficiaries and 20-year-old Miss Nokuthula Moyo from Lupane has seen the fruits of this initiative as she has started a small business and is taking care of her family.
“I started getting the money in February 2022 until March 2023. We hear that the fund will continue soon so we are optimistic that we will also get another chance.
“My mother does not work and our father passed on. I am happy that I have managed to boost my small business through these funds. I buy hair extensions from Bulawayo and I braid people’s hair. This has enabled me to feed the family,” she said.
Armed with 5 O-level passes, Miss Moyo said she wanted to study journalism if she can secure an educational scholarship. Gogo Christine Vera from Binga Centre said she managed to pay for her medical bills from the fund.
“I started off by buying food for the family. I also managed to pay water and electricity bills and also paying school fees. I also buy medication for my husband. I appreciate the funds. I also managed to buy sacks for resale, she said.
The ESCT programme is being extended to five rural districts of Binga (Matabeleland North), Mangwe (Matabeleland South), Mudzi (Mashonaland East) Rushinga (Mashonaland Central) and Makoni (Manicaland) this year, supporting Government to re-target beneficiaries under the HSCT programme and giving them cash transfers for six months before they are handed over to Government for continued support. Registration of beneficiaries under the rural phase is ongoing targeting a total of 18 000 households, an official said.
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