A total of 5,509 vulnerable households in Zamfara State have benefited from the cash transfer scheme of the USAID-funded integrated child health and social services project between 2022 and 2023.

The chief of the party to the project, Dr Joseph Inyang, disclosed this at the inauguration of the 380 beneficiaries of the project in Gusau on Friday.

The ICHSSA project is being implemented by Pro-Health International in partnership with Catholic Relief Services in the six states of the country.

The states are Zamfara, Sokoto and Kebbi in the North-West, Adamawa Bauchi and Taraba states in the North-East regions of Nigeria.

Mr Inyang said the project provides cash transfer to the beneficiaries, “each of the 380 selected beneficiaries across the 14 Local saying, Government Areas of the state received N15,000 as one off financial support.

According to him, the beneficiaries comprised male and female vulnerable households.

“The project also distributes start-up kits to 10 vocational adolescent graduates. The ICHSSA-4 is designed to improve the well-being of orphans and vulnerable children and their households by mitigating the impact of HIV and other causes of vulnerability through sustainable, integrated and comprehensive quality service delivery.

“The cash transfer was designed to provide immediate financial relief, empowering the beneficiaries to take care of their education, healthcare or entrepreneurial ventures,” Inyang explained.

According to him, within one year after the commencement of the project, a total of 5,509 beneficiaries comprising males and females vulnerable households have so far benefited from the project across the state under its household economic strengthening services.

“We appreciate the kind support  of Governor Dauda Lawal, his cabinet and other stakeholders who contributed to the success of the project in the state,’’ Mr Inyang added.

The project’s chief further disclosed, “a total of 32,064 vulnerable households have so far benefited from this project in Sokoto, Zamfara and Kebbi states, while 106,857 vulnerable households graduated from six states across the country.’’

In her remarks, the wife of the state deputy governor, Hajiya Rukayya Malam-Mani, commended USAID and the project coordinators.

She assured the state government’s commitments to continue partnering with the international donors in the fight against poverty, unemployment and empowering vulnerable households in the state.

Ms Malam-Mani called on the beneficiaries to utilise both financial and material support given to them to contribute to their future development.

 (NAN)