Government has launched the 1,000 Days Social Cash Transfer (SCT) Nutrition Pilot Programme aimed at combating malnutrition among children and pregnant women in Zambia.

The pilot programme which focuses on the first 1,000 days of life, from conception until when the child is 24 months old, provides targeted financial assistance to vulnerable families to enable them have access to nutritious food.

Speaking during the launch in Chipata District, Community Development and Social Services Minister, Ms. Doreen Mwamba, said Government is aware of the high levels of malnutrition in the country and its devastating impact.

Ms. Mwamba said the 1,000 Days SCT Nutrition Pilot Programme is one of the interventions being taken by Government with support from the United Nations initiatives and Cooperating Partners to address the issue.

She mentioned that the pilot programme has since October 2022 , been providing cash transfers and other nutrition and health services to 12, 500 households across four pilot districts namely, Chipata, Kalabo, Mpika and Mwinilunga.

“It is our moral and social responsibility to address this issue head-on, and the 1,000 Days SCT Nutrition pilot is a significant step in the right direction,” she said.

The Minister also appreciated the UN and other Cooperating Partners for their collaborating efforts towards the pilot programme, saying it had potential to create positive social change impact.

And United Nations (UN) Zambia representative Mr Henri Heikura reaffirmed the UN’s support towards Social Protection in Zambia

Mr. Heikura said the UN’s partnership with the Zambian Government and other Cooperating Partners on the 1,000 Days SCT Nutrition pilot programme underscores the transformative power of strong relationships in fostering positive change.

Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries Beauty Lungu expressed gratitude for the programme, stressing that the programme will go a long way in ensuring that children under the age of two in vulnerable communities grow healthy.

Meanwhile, British High Commissioner to Zambia Nicholas Woolley has announced that the UK Government has increased its funding by over K207 Million towards Zambia’s climate shock response.

Mr. Woolley said the fund is an addition to the UK’s existing financial support for Social Protection in Zambia through the World Bank and the UN.