At Chakwera’s appeal, GiveDirectly gifts Malawi US$42m for social protection interventions

United States (US)-based non-profit making organization – GiveDirectly – has given the Malawi Government a grant of US$42 million for the implementation of social protection programmes.

The grant is in direct response to the appeal President Dr. Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera made to the organization upon arrival in New York, US, for the 78^th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).

A few hours after arriving in the US, President Chakwera held an interface meeting with Give Directly President, Rory Stewart, where he appealed for financial support towards implementation of social protection programmes targeting underprivileged communities.

“…our national social cash transfer initiative has received a huge boost of US$42 million (over 50 billion Malawi Kwacha) from GiveDirectly”, said the President writing on his Facebook page, adding that GiveDirectly has told Malawi Government that the organization is “doubling efforts to finalize the design of a US$300 million wealth creation project”.

The US$3—million project, according to the announcement, will target 460,000 people who will each receive a lumpsum of US$550 for small-scale businesses.

After meeting GiveDirectly, the President proceeded into another meeting the Seed Global Health where an agreement has been reached with Malawi to strengthen financing for climate-resilient health systems and increase Malawi’s investments in the health workforce.

Thereafter, the President met with International Labour Organisation (ILO) Director General, Mr. Gilbert Houngbo. During the meeting with ILO, President Chakwera called for sustained support to Malawi in its quest for better job creation strategies and harmonization of social protection programmes within post-Cyclone Freddy economic recovery.