Acting Chilanga District Commissioner Maureen Chilende has commended the Ministry of Community development and Social Services and cooperating partners for their continued investment in social protection programmes which, she said , remain invaluable in advancing government priorities for poverty reduction and inclusive development.
The media reports that Ms Chilende says the Supporting Women’s Livelihood (SWL) Project is not merely a social assistance programme, but a transformative platform for women empowerment, climate resilient and long-term economic stability.
She was speaking during the supporting Women’s Livelihood (SWL) Project inception meeting in Chilanga district held at the District Administration Office.
“This event signifies more than a routine engagement, it marks the beginning of an expanded implementation phase that seeks to strengthen adaptive social protection systems and enhance the economic resilience of the poorest and most vulnerable women in our communities “, she emphasised.
Provincial Community Development Officer Mercy Daka explained that the second phase of the Girls Education and Women’s Empowerment and livelihoods for human Capital project (GEWEL 2.0) is a four years project funded by the World Bank and its cooperating partners implemented by GRZ.
Ms Daka said the intervention has been designed to address the structural challenges faced by extremely poor rural women by providing a holistic package that includes formation and strengthening of saving groups, promoting social cohesion, financial inclusion and household resilience.
“ It further provides Life and business skills training, enabling beneficiaries to build foundational knowledge in entrepreneurship, financial management, climate resilience and productive inclusion; A one-time productivity grant, empowering women to start, expand or diversify incoming generating activities,” she explained.
The Provincial Community Development Officer noted that the cash plus model has been recognised internationally for its effectiveness in promoting livelihood sustainability and building household resilience especially among the poorest.
Ms Daka noted that Chilanga district continues to demonstrate strong leadership and community engagement which are essential foundations for the successful rollout of SWL.
The SWL initiative is a component of the GEWEL project which was first started in 2016 and was conducted in 81 districts and run by the Ministry of Community Development and Social Services and reached nearly 144,297 Poor rural women by 31 December 2024.
The second phase of SWL has seen an additional 20 districts which includes Chilanga district and 42 old districts which had benefited in the first phase and has been layered on the social cash transfer programme which covers about 1.3 million poor households in Zambia.
