Malawi: Minister of Gender and social welfare, Jean Sendeza recently met a humanitarian organization Give Directly for a breakfast meeting. The event was hosted on Tuesday with the Minister of gender met the representatives of the organization.
She appreciated Give Directly for their initiative of supporting the government’s efforts in poverty reduction. The organization is responsible for implementing unconditional cash transfers to impoverished households.
Minister Jean Sendeza has emphasized the need for an inclusive and equitable approach in identifying recipients for direct cash transfers.
During the meeting with the organization, the Minister claimed that she was happy with the organisation’s initiative. She recognizes the important role that the organization is playing in supporting the government.
She highlighted the need to support recipients to make the best use of the cash assistance through appropriate capacity building. Through the support of the organization, the recipients of the unconditional cash transfers can live a better life.
The Minister of Gender announced that Give Directly empowers recipients with the dignity to make decisions that best suit their circumstances.
They use technology to ensure that cash assistance efficiently reaches those who need it most. The Senior Manager of External Relations, Thom Mtenje, noted that they use mobile phones to deliver cash.
They also use mobile phones to follow up with recipients and ensure that the assistance is being used for their welfare.
Mtenje said that Give Directly’s approach is rooted in the belief that individuals facing poverty are the foremost experts on their needs. GiveDirectly has reached out to over 150,000 recipients in 11 districts and 4 cities since launching operations in Malawi in 2019.
The vision of the organization is to expand the coverage of large unconditional cash transfers nationwide in Malawi. They noted that the organization wants to complement the Government’s existing initiatives.
Further, the initiative aims to accelerate the achievement of the SDGs and contribute to the country’s wealth creation agenda.