Leonard Mwakhura, 58, from Traditional Authority Sitolo in Machinga, is a testament to resilience and hope, thanks to the support he received through the Lean Season Social Cash Transfer Programme under the Ministry of Gender, Community Development and Social Welfare.
In 2024, President Dr Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera declared a State of Disaster due to widespread hunger across the country. This compelled the Department of Disaster Management Affairs (DoDMA) and the Ministry of Gender, Community Development and Social Welfare to roll out food and cash support to affected families. Machinga was among the districts that benefitted from the intervention.
As the breadwinner of a family of seven, Mwakhura received K70,000 through the programme. He used part of the funds to raise chickens and pay school fees for his three children who are in primary school. In addition to the cash, he received maize for four months, which helped cushion his household during the lean season.
Despite the support, Mwakhura continues to engage in traditional income-generating activities to sustain his family. He weaves and sells mats made from reeds, earning over K200,000 every fortnight from the sale of up to 30 mats.
Traditional income-generating activities like mat weaving, basket making, and small-scale livestock farming play a crucial role in sustaining the gains made through the Social Cash Transfer Programme (SCTP). These activities not only provide a steady source of income but also help beneficiaries build resilience, reduce dependency on aid, and promote self-reliance in the long term.
“I am grateful to the government for this programme. It has empowered me and improved my livelihood. I now plan to buy iron sheets for my house and start raising goats using the capital I received,” Mwakhura said.
Machinga District registered 80,000 beneficiaries under the Lean Season Social Cash Transfer Programme, including those supported through horizontal and vertical expansion initiatives.
The programme continues to bring hope and resilience to thousands of households affected by food insecurity. Horizontal beneficiaries are beneficiaries under the SCTP, while vertical beneficiaries are non-SCTP beneficiaries.
