Social Cash Transfer beneficiaries in Blantyre district have expressed their excitement as government is set to roll out e-payment as a way of ensuring efficiency in the program.
One of the beneficiaries Biswick Mwisoso said during a pay parade at Namawanje cluster in the area of Traditional Authority (T.A) Makata in the district that the development will instill a saving culture and reduce the risk of losing the money through robbery as they will access the funds at their free time.
“When pay parade is being done, everyone knows that we have received the cash and it is just fortunate that I have never been robbed but it is too risky. But with the coming in of the e-payment, nobody will know whether I have withdrawn the money and it will also be my choice whether to withdraw and use it immediately or keep it there for future use,” said Mwisoso.
He additionally said that through the program, he has been able to construct a house using burnt bricks and now in the process of roofing it with iron sheets.
Said Mwisoso: “I have also bought a pig which is now pregnant in its late stages, 26 iron sheets to roof my house as well as chickens, all thanks to Social Cash Transfer”.
Blantyre District Social Welfare Officer responsible for Social Cash Transfer, Dumisani Maona said over K140 million is disbursed bi monthly to the 7500 household beneficiaries in the district.
Maona then described the e-payment system as the ideal for the program saying it will also enable his office touch base with the beneficiaries on how best they can invest the money.
“We are pleased with how most of the beneficiaries are progressing. The program is there is to reduce poverty through property possession and we are glad that Mwisoso has been able to do act according to the objectives of the program,” he said.
Meanwhile, government is in the process of scrutinizing bidders such as commercial banks as well as mobile phone operators and the successful ones will help implement the e-payment system for each respective district.
The Social Cash Transfer program was rolled out in Blantyre in 2018 with funding from World Bank through the National Local Government Finance Committee (NLGFC).