UNICEF in collaboration with the Government will provide nutrition-sensitive cash transfers to nearly 110,000 mothers of children born between May 1 and December 31, 2022.
The program aims to ensure the continuity of the pregnancy voucher during the first 24 months of the child and that the right nutrition and care are provided during the critical period. The program focuses on the most nutrition vulnerable districts and priority has been given to Anuradhapura, Kegalle, Puttalam, Moneragala, Kilinochchi and the Mullaitivu districts.
Referring to the Anuradhapura district nutrition program, the program coordinator, Additional District Secretary Shamila Wickramaarachchi told the Sunday Observer that the selection of eligible mothers or caretakers of young children come under the UNICEF criteria and norms recently completed and presented to the UNICEF head office for information and taking action. According to estimates, there are around 21,000 mothers in the Anuradhapura district to receive the gratuity. So far, it is learnt that nearly 17,000 mothers have been awarded the gratuity in Anuradhapura district.
According to UNICEF sources, an eligible mother or a caretaker in some instances will receive a monthly cash transfer of Rs. 6,750 per eligible child for up to four months.
If the child is already five months or older in February payment is awarded in March, April and May only. All mothers of young children born between May 1, 2021 and December 31, 2022 are being registered.
“Registration of beneficiaries is being done by the Divisional Secretariat office free. On some occasions a public health midwife or a development officer visits the mother or caretakers to register beneficiaries,” Additional District Secretary Wickramaarachchi said.
It is learnt that cash payments on the basis of Rs. 6,500 per eligible child is made through bank transfers and all bank accounts are accepted except for Samurdhi and Rural Banking institutes.
UNICEF has come into partnership with the Sarvodaya Movement to monitor the program and address complaints or grievances. Sarvodaya will contract the beneficiary mothers and caretakers to verify the payment delivery and also conduct additional nutritional activities concerning the UNICEF program. The Australian Government’s Aus Aid and USAID are also associating with UNICEF in programming, implementing and continuing the beneficiary venture on a quarterly basis, each year.