NGO rolls out Covid-19 social cash transfer initiative

The National Association for Young People Living with HIV (NAYPLHIV) has rolled out a social cash transfer initiative aimed to alleviate economic hardships among the vulnerable and marginalized groups during the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic.

The association’s executive official Edward Phiri said the initiative is mainly targeting 64 Adolescents and Young People Living with HIV (AYPLHIV) in the realm of transgender, adolescents living with HIV orphans, supporting active Covid-19 adolescent living with HIV and young people living with HIV.

Other beneficiaries are young pregnant women and widowed mothers below the age of 25, young positive couples most in need, young people living with HIV who lost their job during COVID crises and adolescent girls and young women to support with sexual reproductive health services aged 10-30 years.

Phiri disclosed that this is a pilot project and is being implemented under the auspices of Global Network of Young People Living with HIV (GNP+).

“We have established Social Aid Fund and the goal of this project is to respond to emergency needs of adolescents and young people living with HIV most affected by Covid-19 crisis in Malawi.

“To each beneficiary, we provide K10, 000 cash, face masks, sanitizers, soap, hand sanitizers, food, toys, learning materials, and water buckets among other,” he explained.

He said the project is being implemented in Zomba, Lilongwe, Mzuzu, Mzimba, Karonga, Nkhatabay, Salima, Blantyre and Chiradzulu.

Alisinjile Lipenjele is one of the beneficiaries from Joliji Village in Traditional Authority Kadewere in Chiradzulu.

Lipenjele, 24, has two children and has been struggling to raise them singlehandedly. She thanked the association for the support

“I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to the GNP+ for the financial and material assistance. It has relieved me as a widow,” she said.

She appealed to well-wishers, donors and other stakeholders to channel more support to the vulnerable groups.

Social Aid Fund district coordinator Max Mtiwa asked the government to establish Covid-19 Social Aid Fund to ensure that more marginalized populations can benefit.

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