Lesotho Launches Cash Grants For Orphans And Other Vulnerable Children

Main Category: Pediatrics / Children's Health
Also Included In: HIV / AIDS
Article Date: 24 Apr 2009 - 1:00 PDT

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In the face of growing vulnerability and chronic poverty of its children, the Government of Lesotho today launched, for the first time in the history of the country, a Child Grants programme. The landmark initiative will strive to improve the wellbeing of orphans and other vulnerable children (OVC), including child headed households and children affected by HIV and AIDS.

Through a regular and unconditional quarterly payment of Maloti 360 (about US$ 38) "households, caring for OVC, will have an opportunity to prioritize and procure what they need most, retain children at school, improve their health status and reduce malnutrition" said the Deputy Principal Secretary (DPS) of Health and Social Welfare Ms. Moliehi Khabele, speaking on behalf of the Minister of Health.

The nexus of high levels of poverty, chronic food insecurity and a high prevalence of HIV, has dealt a serious blow to children's survival, development and protection in Lesotho. The child grant is the main component of a broader package of child services "that will ensure not only to mitigate the impact of HIV and AIDS but to break the cycle of poverty which our neediest children are trapped into" added Ms. Khabele.

The European Commission is providing 12 Million Euros over five years (07'-11'), through UNICEF, to support the Government's broader OVC programme which comprises other areas of intervention such as access to education, health, psychosocial support, protection, HIV prevention and food security. Through WFP, food commodities such as maize meal, cooking oil and pulses, will also be provided to children benefiting from the Child Grant.

"The future of Lesotho's nation depends on how you treat your children" said the Head of Delegation and Ambassador of the EU to Lesotho, H.E. Mr. Peter Beck Christiansen.

Development partners and donors are realizing that some financial resources must be available within households to ensure that vulnerable children can access and utilize essential services. "Cash transfers do not replace other forms of assistance; they complement investment in service provision. When poor households can access services, they are in a better position to utilize the cash more effectively, for the child" said UNICEF Lesotho Representative Aichatou Diawara-Flambert.

The programme was initiated in 2007. "We didn't have the expertise and resources to immediately roll it out. We are in a learning phase and need to address all the teething problems associated with new initiatives before going national" said Ms. Khabele.

"It was imperative to set up solid foundations to sustain the programme and ensure adequate capacity, accountability, efficiency and transparency. Many systems and structures had to be put in place from scratch" added UNICEF's, Mrs. Flambert.

The programme will be implemented in a phased approach with the first pilot phase covering three districts and reaching approximately 5,000 OVC. Long terms plans include the expansion to other districts [starting 2010] and the Government progressively absorbing the programme into the national budget. "This is a first step in a long process of channeling cash to the needy OVCs" said H.E. Mr. Peter Beck Christiansen

To Mampepuoa Nkane, 67, the Child Grants "is a gift from God". With vivid distress she talks about the hardship of taking care of her five orphaned grandchildren, whose ages range from 7 months to 14 years. "It's hard to put food on the table every day" she recounts "after my son passed away I was left to grow the children alone, now I have more hope and I will not have to worry everyday" she says.

Social transfers are attracting growing interest all over the world for their role in improving human development, reducing hunger and tackling extreme poverty and vulnerability. They are also increasingly recognized as an important element of an overall care package for children affected by AIDS.

Source
UNICEF

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