Cash transfer programmes

Cash Transfer is a social protection mechanism which is under the Ministry of Labour, Social Security and Services.

Cash Transfer was introduced to Kenya in the year 2004 reached Mombasa in 2009 and it is sponsored by the United Kingdom.

Cash Transfer works on 4 major arms: CT- OVC for orphans and vulnerable children, CT- Elderly for the older/aged persons, CT- Disabled persons both physical and mental disability, UFS- Urban Food Subsidy which provides food to poor and needy people in urban areas.  It is currently in Mombasa.

The main objective of CT –OVC is to increase access for school enrolment, attendance and retention of children aged between 4 and 17 years in basic schools.

Another major key element is to increase access to basic health services among children aged between 0 to 5 years.

Thirdly, CT – OVC tries to improve household food consumption, nutrition and food security.

CT- OVC also tries to foster civil registration by increasing the number of OVC, accessing birth certificates for OVC, National ID for care givers and death certificates for deceased parents.

Lastly, CT- OVC also helps in strengthening capability by increasing access to OVC related services by improving linkages with other Ministries and partners.

And when we asked who an OVC is, Mrs Elizabeth, a Sub-County children officer at Kisauni had the pleasure to clear the air that OVC stands for Orphans and Vulnerable Children and that any child who is single or double orphaned is an OVC.

A child who is single or double orphaned is an OVC.

A child who is chronically ill or who has a chronically ill caregiver is also termed as an OVC.

Any child living in a child headed household due to orphan hood also qualifies to be an OVC.

Take not that a special needy child – cerebral palsy, autism is also an OVC said Elizabeth.

And when we found that Mrs. Elizabeth had a lot on CT – OVC, we went ahead and asked on the criteria the Ministry use for eligibility.

For you to qualify as a CT – OVC beneficiary, you must have an OVC aged between 0- 17 as a permanent resident of that household.

Household must be living in extreme poverty.  Take note that when CT programmes started, it eyed the districts which were at a higher poverty level like Kilifi, Samburu and others.

The last condition is that one should not be a beneficiary of any other similar programme that is sustainable and continuous i.e. any other programme in the area of CT programmes.

By : Peterson Amani Karisa