Ministry of Community Development Unveils New Measures to Enhance National Social Protection System
By Respite Kaoma,
The Ministry of Community Development and Social Services has reaffirmed its commitment to protecting vulnerable Zambians by launching revised guidelines for the Social Cash Transfer (SCT) and Public Welfare Assistance Scheme (PWAS).
Community Development and Social Services Minister Doreen Mwamba described the launch as a renewed government promise to ensure no household is left behind across all 116 districts.
She highlighted the SCT as a flagship programme that improves welfare, boosts school attendance, enhances food security, builds household assets, and restores dignity through reliable income support.
The PWAS, dating back to the 1950s, remains a vital emergency lifeline for the elderly, persons with disabilities, the chronically ill, and households in crisis.
World Bank Representative Nadia Salim noted that the Bank has invested about US$800 million in Zambia’s social protection programmes over the past decade.
