1.8 Limitation
The researcher encountered some challenges in carrying out the study due to global crisis of COVID-19 pandemic popularly known as Coronavirus, which has ravaged global economic situations and has led to limiting movements simply because of slow paced economic activities as a result of lockdowns. However, to this effect participants were equally difficulty to find owing to the nature of the targeted focus discussion groups and it was extremely difficult to assess the effectiveness of social cash transfer through just observations. There was also an over-run in budgetary allocations which occurred due to economic instability as resources were not enough to cover demanding needs, the prices of essential commodity were fluctuating and this negatively affected the study process. The researcher was further disturbed in the preparation of the research and had challenges printing questionnaires due to the erratic power supply currently being faced in the nation especially the rural Zambia which is greatly getting affected the most.
1.9 Theoretical Framework
Theories have strongly evolved pointing to incentive theory which clarifies that behavior is highly motivated by an organism’s desire for supports and rewards, and that this desire is what secure governance and policy behavior. Incentives in the environment to determine organisms’ behavior and patterns cover on the precept that social development goals emanate on political administration and public governance systems. This factor aims to achieve positive outcomes by increasing social knowledge, awareness and changing attitudes and the practice in making sure that important mediators of program impacts are driven from such social engagements. Many theories of social cash transfer program distinguishes that lack of knowledge in many communities, and this may have to undermine social program impacts and benefits, notably in terms of nutrition, income, education and healthcare (Browne, 2013: Bastagli et al. 2016).
Social cash transfer has a basis of minds to improve the well-fare of individuals and welfare of communities, is basically the delivery of cash as an alternative to in-kind social support to communities, a trend that has increasingly been used as a social protection methodology in circumstances of severe poverty, hunger and vulnerability levels. This has been used a policy intervention measure to help many poor people in many developing nations mostly in Africa which includes Malawi, Kenya, Uganda and Zambia, have all taken cash transfer programmes at government level and it is a social engagement program that aims at functioning for many reasons but mainly used as a life support and community survival tools that runs into support of poor people who usually lack access to the basic food sufficient, as they fail in meeting up with their daily necessities, and also touches on the large records of people impacted by the HIV and AIDS crisis, may also strongly classified them under such social programs together with the vulnerable in society (Wahenga News, rhvp, 2006).
From the available resources, social policy instruments and statutory support, social cash transfers has seen a growing tread within most emerging nations, the list includes Zambia. Cash transfers are income support payments given to vulnerable households to reduce extreme poverty and promote children’s education, health and nutrition. Since 2004, Zambia has been implementing cash transfers (HMSCTS, 2013).
A number of studies have concluded that social cash transfers have aid in reducing high levels of poverty among many poor households in most developing countries. This study anchors on evaluating on the extent to which social cash transfers in Zambia and many other related nations have showed impact on poverty reduction as a social strategy system to use without leaving out the plight of children’s rights as well. However, it is imperative to point that many researches, materials and social policies used by most public office concludes that by citing that there is evidence that social cash transfers have been used to reduce poverty levels and improve to enhance children’s access to social services such as healthcare or education opportunities, and social benefits have been seen with their effective execution which remains constrained by systems of organizational, management styles and on capacity to handle complexity and difficulties, as well as factoring lack of a well-defined long-term financial guarantee (UNDP, 2014a; UNDP, 2014b).
1.10 Definitions of Operational terms
Beneficiary: a person or thing that receives help or an advantage from something, one that benefits from something.
Recipient: a person or organization that receives something, such as money, a prize, etc
Household: it is a social unity composed of those leaving together under one dwelling.
Family: a group of people leaving under one roof and usually under one head.
Livelihood: Livelihoods are understood as people’s means of creating a living and livelihoods are diverse ways in which people make a living and build their worlds. Whitehead (2002)
Poverty: its serious deficit in income to an individual and/or community leading to eventual denial of opportunities and choices that are widely regarded as essential to lead a long, healthy and creative life salient to enjoying a decent standard of living, freedom, dignity, self-esteem and the respect by others (Martin, 2008).
Poverty eradication funds: Refer to funds availed to poor community members aimed at enabling them prevail over factors which deprive them their basic requirements of life. It’s literally a revolving funds from the government aimed at assisting the needy in the society (UNDP 2012).
Social cash transfer: is a program which government is implementing to help reduce poverty through transfer of money to persons who meet the specified criteria. These transfers are given to recipients-monthly.
Sustainable Development: is defined as “development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
Cash transfer: Predictable transfers, often in the form of cash, provided by the state as part of a social contract with its citizens (DFID, 2006).Vulnerable group: The bulk of households in need of basic social protection are headed by the elderly, widows, children, or individuals who are disabled or chronically sick.
1.11 Summary
This chapter brought up the preliminary part of the proposal by underscoring on the statement of the problem, objectives, research questions, limitations, assumption and significance of the study. The next chapter looks further at the literature review, related documentation and concepts of the research, as it looks at practical assessment of the role of social cash transfer in enhancing household living within the district of Isoka.