The Malawian government has announced a drastic reduction in the number of Social Cash Transfer Programme (SCTP) beneficiaries in Mangochi District, cutting the caseload from 28,367 to 8,087 households in the next implementation cycle—a reduction of 71.5% that has sparked fears of worsening poverty in one of the country’s poorest districts.
The reform, driven by declining financial support from international development partners, was disclosed during a stakeholder engagement with traditional leaders and councillors in Mangochi.
The Ministry of Gender, Community Development and Social Welfare is leading the dissemination of information about the changes.
Speaking in an interview at Mangochi District Council, Ministry of Gender Chief Social Welfare Officer Natasha Mtika attributed the reform to reduced funding from development partners, particularly the German development bank KfW, which has historically supported the SCTP in seven districts, including Mangochi.
“The engagement is being done to inform district stakeholders, including traditional leaders and council officials, about the changes and urge them to help disseminate the information to alert beneficiaries,” Mtika said.
The reduction means 20,280 households—equivalent to 71.5% of the current caseload—will no longer receive assistance under the programme.
The development comes amid a broader national funding crisis for social protection, with the government cutting the sector’s budget from K217 billion to K123 billion for the 2026/2027 financial year, affecting approximately one million beneficiaries nationwide. The SCTP budget alone has been reduced by 14%.
Mangochi District Council Chairperson Iliyasa Sauzande warned that the cuts would have severe consequences for families living in ultra-poverty.
“There are fears that thousands of beneficiaries will be left out. I am appealing to government to look for other donors to support the over 20,000 beneficiaries who will no longer receive assistance,” Sauzande said.
The scale of the reduction is particularly alarming given Mangochi’s poverty profile.
According to the latest data from Malawi’s Sixth Integrated Household Survey (IHS6) 2024–2025, conducted by the National Statistical Office, the district has a poverty incidence (headcount) of 75.1%, a food poverty rate of 69.9%, and an ultra-poverty rate of 77.5%.
These figures indicate that approximately three out of four people in Mangochi live below the national poverty line, and nearly 70% cannot afford basic food requirements.
