Government,with support from cooperating partners, has launched the emergency Covid-19 social cash transfer, .
Community Development Minister Kampamba Mulenga says the disbursement to beneficiaries is expected to start within the course of the week.
Ms Mulenga says the emergency social cash transfer will help to mitigate the impact of Covid-19 in vulnerable homes of the elderly, women and their children including those in the informal sector.
She has explained that the beneficiaries are those already in the data base, who will get 400 Kwacha each with food hampers for a period of six months.
The Minister was speaking at a media briefing in Lusaka.
Ms Mulenga has assured all beneficiaries that there will not be any discrimination in the disbursement of the funds.
She has thanked the cooperating partners for contributing towards the funds.
And International Labor Organisation -ILO -Director Country Office for Zambia, Malawi and Mozambique, George Okutho, said Covid 19 has presented challenges of loss of employment in many sectors.
He said the emergency social cash transfer will help address social protection.
And World Food Program Deputy Country Director Jayoung Lee said her organisation will work with Government to distribute food across the country in vulnerable homes.
Meanwhile, UNICEF Representative Sam Mwadzikwa pledged to support Government to execute successfully the emergency social cash transfer to all intended beneficiaries across the country.
