The Petauke Town Council District Team has successfully concluded sensitisation meetings on the Revised Cash for Work Programme (R-CFW) in Manyane Ward of Kaumbwe Constituency.
The Revised Cash for Work Programme, recently introduced by Government, is an empowerment initiative being implemented across all 116 local authorities in the country. The programme is designed to provide temporary employment to vulnerable individuals at ward level, enabling them to earn up to K600 per month through participation in public works for a maximum of 10 days.
The district sensitisation exercise began with engagement meetings involving Councillors, Chief representatives, and Heads of Departments. This was later cascaded to ward level, where Ward Development Committees (WDCs), Community Welfare Assistance Committees (CWACs), and Satellite Committees were oriented on the programme and the changes introduced under Phase II of the R-CFW.
The Revised Cash for Work Programme builds on lessons from Phase I and introduces several key improvements. Among these is the establishment of a Grievance Redress Mechanism (GRM), which provides a formal channel for members of the public, district structures, and beneficiaries to lodge complaints and seek redress in relation to programme implementation.
Additionally, the programme has introduced changes in the listing, screening, and recruitment of beneficiaries through a structured and technology-supported system aimed at improving transparency, eliminating duplication, and ensuring fairness in selection.
The sensitisation meetings also highlighted that beneficiaries will be selected based on clearly defined eligibility criteria, and payments will be made through mobile money platforms upon certification of completed works.
While the programme has generally been welcomed as a timely intervention to support vulnerable households and stimulate local economic activity, some stakeholders expressed the view that certain improvements introduced in Phase II could have been implemented earlier.
Overall, the district team remains confident that the Revised Cash for Work Programme will contribute to improved livelihoods, enhanced community infrastructure, and increased economic activity within the district.
