Kenya’s Inua Jamii cash transfer programme is helping elderly citizens and persons with severe disabilities meet basic needs, support their families and, in some cases, build small businesses to improve their livelihoods.
The programme provides beneficiaries with a monthly stipend of Ksh2,000, which has become an important source of support for some of the country’s most vulnerable households.
In Machakos, 32-year-old Janet Mwalimu, who uses a wheelchair and relies on a caregiver for her daily needs, has turned the support into an opportunity to earn a living.
After struggling to secure employment, Janet saved part of her Inua Jamii payments, combined the money with a loan and opened a small shop selling clothes and beauty products.
She says the programme has changed her life by giving her a source of income and something productive to do.
In Lungalunga, 76-year-old Alice Mwangi also used her first payment to start a roadside business. She has gradually expanded the venture by reinvesting part of her monthly stipend.
For 83-year-old Emily Chepkurui in Kibera, the money provides crucial support as she raises her orphaned grandchildren. She supplements the stipend by selling traditional vegetables whenever she is able to work.
Cash transfers improve access and safety
For 82-year-old livestock farmer Godfrey Waweru in Suswa, reforms in how beneficiaries receive their payments have also made a difference.
Waweru recalled the risks elderly beneficiaries previously faced when travelling to collect cash. The use of mobile money has since made it safer and more convenient for beneficiaries to access their payments.
The changes come as the Government seeks to strengthen social protection and make cash transfers more accessible to vulnerable Kenyans.
For Jacqueline Mwinyiva, a mother and primary caregiver to a child living with cerebral palsy, the Ksh2,000 stipend helps meet daily household needs, including food and medicine.
However, she is among beneficiaries calling for an increase in the monthly payment, saying a higher stipend would enable families to meet more of their essential expenses and strengthen their livelihoods.
More funding for Inua Jamii
The government is also working to strengthen the institutional and financial framework supporting Inua Jamii.
For years, payments under the programme were not guided by a structured schedule. Legislation enacted last year anchored Inua Jamii in law and established the National Board for Social Protection and the Social Protection Fund.
The new framework is expected to provide a platform for mobilising additional resources beyond government funding.
The Government is now seeking to bring more resources into the fund through partnerships with organisations including the World Bank, donors and well-wishers.
Officials say expanding the fund could create room for higher, steadier and more reliable payments to beneficiaries.
The reforms are expected to address some of the financial constraints facing the programme while expanding its reach to more vulnerable households.
As Inua Jamii continues to support millions of Kenyans, the focus is shifting towards strengthening the fund, improving the level of financial assistance and ensuring those who have not yet been onboarded are brought into the programme.
For beneficiaries such as Janet, Alice and Emily, the monthly payment is more than a cash transfer. It provides a lifeline that can help meet immediate needs while, in some cases, giving vulnerable Kenyans an opportunity to build more sustainable livelihoods.
Read: Government Releases Ksh2.43 Billion for Inua Jamii Cash Transfers
>>> Government Clears June-July Arrears for Inua Jamii Beneficiaries With Ksh 4.6 Billion Payout
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