Malawi

The Government of Malawi’s Social Cash Transfer Programme (SCTP) scheme is an unconditional transfer targeted to rural ultra-poor and labor-constrained households operated by the Ministry of Gender, Community Development and Social Welfare (MoGCDSW) with policy oversight and guidance provided by the Ministry of Economic Planning and Development (MoEPD) and UNICEF Malawi. The programme began as a pilot in 2006 in Mchinji District and was subsequently expanded to an additional eight districts in 2009 (Balaka, Likoma, Chitipa, Salima, Machinga, Phalombe and Mangochi). As of August 2020, the program reached approximately 283,000 households and 1,195,000 individuals, or 7 percent of the total population. The main objectives of the SCTP are to reduce poverty and hunger, and to improve children’s human development. Transfer amounts vary by household size and number of school-aged children,  and averaged MK 6400 per household per month (approximately US$8). The specific benefit structure as of August 2020 was: MK2600, MK 3300, MK 4400 and MK5600 for households of size one, two three and four or more respectively. An additional bonus of MK 800 and MK 1500 was provided to household members of school going age.