03/09/2026
DC URGES PRUDENT USE OF FUNDS AS WORLD BANK VISITS
District Commissioner Ellen Miselo Mibenge has urged beneficiaries of government social protection programmes to use the funds they receive prudently and invest in activities that can improve their livelihoods.
In a statement by Serenje Town Council, Ms Mibenge said government, working with cooperating partners, was providing various forms of support to vulnerable households, women and girls as part of efforts to improve living standards in Serenje District.
The District Commissioner was speaking today during the World Bank Mid-Term Review of the Girls' Education, Women's Empowerment and Livelihoods (GEWEL 2) Project, which brought together government departments and district stakeholders to review implementation progress.
She said President Hakainde Hichilema was doing everything possible to improve the livelihoods of people across the country and called on beneficiaries to ensure that the assistance they received was used for its intended purpose.
The review heard that the Social Cash Transfer programme had increased its coverage in Serenje to 12,576 beneficiaries, from 6,589v households in 2018 and 9,351 in 2021.
The programme has also enabled some beneficiaries to invest in productive ventures such as poultry, livestock, farming and small businesses.
Among the beneficiaries cited was Shemu K***a, a 27-year-old person living with a physical disability, who used his support to acquire a sewing machine.
Another beneficiary, Elalio Chama, aged 73, ventured into broiler chicken production, while Jacquiline K***a, who has been on the programme since 2014, has used the support to build a house, connect it to electricity and establish a shop.
The meeting also heard that the Keeping Girls in School and Beyond component, which was introduced in Serenje in 2021, had recorded 223 beneficiaries in 2026, while 31 girls had completed their education under the programme since 2025.
Some beneficiaries have progressed to tertiary institutions including the University of Zambia, Mulungushi University, Copperbelt University, NIPA, Evelyn Hone College and Serenje School of Nursing and Midwifery.
Under Supporting Women's Livelihoods, 500 women have been trained under GEWEL 2 in life skills, business skills and sexual and reproductive health, and have received both instalments of the productivity grant.
The programme has established 24 savings groups and created 12 Circle Hubs.
Across GEWEL 1 and GEWEL 2, 2,022 women have been empowered, with 92 savings groups established and approximately K8.63 million invested.
The review further heard that 188 SWL beneficiaries were linked to the Food Security Pack programme in 2026, while some women's groups were being facilitated to formalise their operations and access opportunities under the Constituency Development Fund.
However, implementing departments cited challenges including poor road infrastructure, inadequate mobile network coverage, transport limitations and difficulties in delivering digital services in some communities.
The Mid-Term Review provided an opportunity for government departments and stakeholders to assess the impact of GEWEL 2, share implementation experiences and identify measures for strengthening the sustainability of the programme.
