Case study of Valor Criança Project adaptation to Covid-19
The Valor Criança project launched its 1st payment in August 2019 and made two quarterly cycle of payments in three Pprovinces (Bié, Moxico and Uíge) reaching 6,325 families and 11,473 children by December 2019.
Three separate banks in the three Provinces were involved and provided beneficiaries in the rural areas with cash payments through payment points (quarterly payments).
The overall payment implementation was supported by social activists and the Centers for Integrated Social Acton (CASIS) and Local Administration through the Municipalization of Social Action programme MAS.
Delivery chain for Cash Transfers:
• 3,000.00 AOA (10USD) provided per child per month for up to 3 children under 5 years old;
• Cash-Plus activities to be carried out by CASIs through the MAS (Municipalization of Social Action) to include child protection and nutrition
• Registration of grievances during payment days and treatment through subsequent missions for enrollment and confirmation of beneficiaries
• Active follow-up of grievance cases through the Municipal Focal Points and Local Administration
With the State of Emergency decreed in Angola due to the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in travel restrictions and reduction of workforce, all three banks were unable to make the payments, therefore the 3rd cycle of payment programmed for March 2020 was cancelled.
It was then that the Ministry of Social Action, Family and Women’s Promotion (MASFAMU) prioritized Valor Criança project and included it in the priorities for the Intersectoral National Commission on COVID-19 and as a key social protection response to the crisis, with detailed negotiations lead by the Minister as well as the Secretary of State with the three banks and the Provinces to ensure continuity of the project in the new context.
Key decisions and actions:
• Continuity of the Valor Criança by placing it as key project of the COVID-19 national response;
• Top-Up benefit from 3,000.00 to 5,000.00 AOA;
• Make combined cycles of payments due to the delays and operational challenges (semestral payments)
• Adapted to the specific needs of the banks through negotiations (payments in bank agencies)
• Payments reestablished in July and August reaching 7,073 families and 13,423
• 5th and 6th cycle were to be paid in December is expected to reach 9,982 families and 18,511 children
