By Suleman Chitera
Thyolo, Malawi — Minister of Gender, Children, Disability and Social Welfare, Mary Navicha, has urged Thyolo District Council to intensify efforts to ensure that all eligible persons with disabilities are fully included in the Social Cash Transfer Programme (SCTP).
The Minister made the call on Monday during a monitoring tour of SCTP beneficiary households in Chimbeta Cluster under Traditional Authority Khwethemule, where she assessed the programme’s reach, impact, and effectiveness on vulnerable families.
Navicha commended the Council for progress made so far, noting with encouragement that some persons with disabilities and individuals with albinism are already benefiting from the initiative. However, she stressed that more deliberate action is needed to ensure no eligible household is left behind.
“The Social Cash Transfer Programme is a critical lifeline. It enables families to meet basic needs such as sending children to school, purchasing household necessities, and investing in small-scale livelihood activities like livestock rearing and village savings,” she said.
While reaffirming government’s commitment to social protection, the Minister acknowledged challenges affecting the programme, including limited transfer amounts. She cited cases where households with large numbers of dependents receive about K51,000, an amount she said is often insufficient to fully address household needs.
Navicha disclosed that government is engaging the Ministry of Finance and development partners to mobilise additional resources to strengthen the programme. She also assured beneficiaries that network-related challenges affecting access to mobile money payments are being addressed through ongoing discussions with mobile service providers.
Thyolo District Commissioner Noel Dakamau said the Council is implementing rigorous case management and household verification exercises to ensure that assistance reaches the most deserving households, particularly those with persons with disabilities.
He added that recognising the limitations of cash transfers alone, the Council is deliberately linking beneficiaries to complementary interventions such as village savings and loans associations and livestock support programmes to promote sustainable livelihoods.
One beneficiary, Esnart Chikaonda, said the SCTP has significantly improved her family’s living conditions. She explained that the support has enabled her to meet basic household needs and establish a rabbit farming business as a source of income.
Chikaonda appealed to government to consider increasing the transfer amounts to help beneficiaries further expand their income-generating activities and build resilience.
The Social Cash Transfer Programme currently supports over 17,000 ultra-poor and labour-constrained households in Thyolo District, underscoring government’s broader commitment to reducing extreme poverty and promoting inclusive social development.
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