Empowering Generations
Clotildah’s journey of resilience through the GRZ- United Nations Joint Programme on Social protection
CHIPATA Eastern province, Zambia, December 2024 - Retired professional social worker Clotildah Banda, 74, is known for her warm and welcoming nature. With years of experience working with vulnerable individuals, she deeply understands the importance of social protection. Having cared for her mother, a Social Cash Transfer (SCT) beneficiary, until her passing in 2018, and becoming a beneficiary herself of the COVID-19 SCT in 2022, Clotildah appreciates the value of building resilience and investing in a sustainable future.
In 2022, Clotildah received her first cash transfer of ZMW 400.00 (USD+/-14.00) bimonthly and decided to invest in two cows. One of the cows gave birth, and over time, her herd grew to five cows. Encouraged by this success, she expanded her animal husbandry ventures to include rearing pigs and chickens.
A large pig pen next to her home houses several piglets, eagerly awaiting their meals. When the pigs are ready for harvesting, she plans to sell them for profit, using some of the proceeds to buy feed and sustain her business. Clotildah lives with her two grandchildren, aged 29 and 31 who support her work on the farm. Financial support has aided her in providing food for the household.
“The money from the social cash transfer has been very helpful in making investments that help me buy mealie meal and relish for me and my two grandchildren who live with me and help me with farming,” she says.
She also has a bustling chicken coop full of chickens, which she uses in exchange for additional labor in her fields. In addition to her livestock ventures, Clotildah has been growing vegetables, maize, and groundnuts (peanuts) for sale and for home consumption.
Aside from the SCT Programme, Clotildah also praises Zambia’s National Health Insurance Management Authority (NHIMA) Scheme for providing essential support in times of illness. She has disclosed that she suffers from high blood pressure at times and is thankful for the relief that comes through contributory social protection initiatives like NHIMA, which allows her to purchase medications.
“Through NHIMA, I have one less burden to think of regarding my health, and that is buying medicine from the hospital. Although the distance to the hospital is far, I am grateful that I do not have to worry about the high cost of medicine,” she says.
The Government of the Republic of Zambia (GRZ), through the Ministry of Community Development and Social Services (MCDSS) under the GRZ- United Nations Joint Programme on Social Protection (UNJPSP), is supporting vulnerable families with cash assistance through SCTS to meet their needs, which can include food, shelter, and support for their children’s school supplies.
Clotildah’s story is a testament to the positive impact of these initiatives, showcasing how social protection can empower individuals to build a better future for themselves and their families.
The Social Cash Transfer Programme is made possible with support from cooperating partners, including the governments of the Republic of Ireland, the Kingdom of Sweden, the Swiss Confederation, and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland with technical support from International Labour Organisation (ILO), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), and World Food Programme (WFP).
