Harmonised Social Cash Transfer, HSCT
Basic Information
Country
Geographic area
Programme Details
Programme objectives
To increase households’ consumption to a level above the food poverty line; reduce the number of ultra-poor households; and help beneficiaries avoid risky coping strategies (such as child labour and early marriage).
Chikova, H. 2013. “Social Protection in Zimbabwe - Country Paper.” Presentation at SASPEN – FES
International Conference: ‘Social Protection for Those Working Informally. Social & Income (In)Security
in the Informal Economy’, Johannesburg, South Africa, 16–17 September. Accessed 26 February 2016.
<http://www.saspen.org/conferences/informal2013/Paper_Chikova_FES-SASPEN-16SEP2013-INT
-CONF-SP4IE.pdf>.
Programme components
Beneficiaries are also entitled to educational fee waivers, the Basic
Education Assistance Module (BEAM) and a non-contributory health
insurance—the Assisted Medical Treatment Order (AMTO).
Food and Agriculture Organization. 2013. Impacts of the Harmonised Social Cash Transfer
Programme on Community Dynamics in Zimbabwe. Rome: FAO. Accessed 11 November 2015.
<http://www.fao.org/docrep/018/i2968e/i2968e00.pdf>.
Start date
2011
Chikova, H. 2013. “Social Protection in Zimbabwe - Country Paper.” Presentation at SASPEN – FES
International Conference: ‘Social Protection for Those Working Informally. Social & Income (In)Security
in the Informal Economy’, Johannesburg, South Africa, 16–17 September. Accessed 26 February 2016.
<http://www.saspen.org/conferences/informal2013/Paper_Chikova_FES-SASPEN-16SEP2013-INT
-CONF-SP4IE.pdf>.
Previous programme name (if any)
Public Assistance (which is being phased out, but still exists in districts where there is no HSCT)
Coverage
52,049 beneficiary households; 236,013 individual beneficiaries (2015)
Programme expenditure
USD6.9 million (2011)
The current annual expenditure is estimated at USD14.5 million.
Food and Agriculture Organization. 2013. Impacts of the Harmonised Social Cash Transfer
Programme on Community Dynamics in Zimbabwe. Rome: FAO. Accessed 11 November 2015.
<http://www.fao.org/docrep/018/i2968e/i2968e00.pdf>.
Schubert, B., and R. Chirchir. 2012. Zimbabwe Harmonized Social Cash Transfer Programme (HSCT):
Analysis of the process and results of targeting labour constrained food poor households in the first
10 districts. Harare: Government of Zimbabwe and UNICEF. Accessed 11 November 2015.
<http://www.unicef.org/zimbabwe/ZIM_resources_hsctprogreport.pdf>.
Targeting and eligiblity
Targeting methods
Proxy Means Test
Community-Based Targeting
Food and Agriculture Organization. 2013. Impacts of the Harmonised Social Cash Transfer
Programme on Community Dynamics in Zimbabwe. Rome: FAO. Accessed 11 November 2015.
<http://www.fao.org/docrep/018/i2968e/i2968e00.pdf>.
Targeted areas
By 2012, 10 districts had been enrolled. Currently there are 19 districts
enrolled. The government plans to scale up the programme to all districts
Food and Agriculture Organization. 2013. Impacts of the Harmonised Social Cash Transfer
Programme on Community Dynamics in Zimbabwe. Rome: FAO. Accessed 11 November 2015.
<http://www.fao.org/docrep/018/i2968e/i2968e00.pdf>.
Target groups
Ultra-poor households
Chikova, H. 2013. “Social Protection in Zimbabwe - Country Paper.” Presentation at SASPEN – FES
International Conference: ‘Social Protection for Those Working Informally. Social & Income (In)Security
in the Informal Economy’, Johannesburg, South Africa, 16–17 September. Accessed 26 February 2016.
<http://www.saspen.org/conferences/informal2013/Paper_Chikova_FES-SASPEN-16SEP2013-INT
-CONF-SP4IE.pdf>.
Eligibility criteria
Households that are both labour-constrained and food-poor.
Eligibility reassessment (if any)
Reassessment is conducted every two years.
Food and Agriculture Organization. 2013. Impacts of the Harmonised Social Cash Transfer
Programme on Community Dynamics in Zimbabwe. Rome: FAO. Accessed 11 November 2015.
<http://www.fao.org/docrep/018/i2968e/i2968e00.pdf>.
Coverage and other information
Type of benefits
Cash
Amount of benefits
From USD10–USD25 per month based on household size
Chikova, H. 2013. “Social Protection in Zimbabwe - Country Paper.” Presentation at SASPEN – FES
International Conference: ‘Social Protection for Those Working Informally. Social & Income (In)Security
in the Informal Economy’, Johannesburg, South Africa, 16–17 September. Accessed 26 February 2016.
<http://www.saspen.org/conferences/informal2013/Paper_Chikova_FES-SASPEN-16SEP2013-INT
-CONF-SP4IE.pdf>.
Payment/delivery frequency
Bi-monthly
Chikova, H. 2013. “Social Protection in Zimbabwe - Country Paper.” Presentation at SASPEN – FES
International Conference: ‘Social Protection for Those Working Informally. Social & Income (In)Security
in the Informal Economy’, Johannesburg, South Africa, 16–17 September. Accessed 26 February 2016.
<http://www.saspen.org/conferences/informal2013/Paper_Chikova_FES-SASPEN-16SEP2013-INT
-CONF-SP4IE.pdf>.
Benefit delivery mechanism
Cash-in-transit delivered at pay points
Food and Agriculture Organization. 2013. Impacts of the Harmonised Social Cash Transfer
Programme on Community Dynamics in Zimbabwe. Rome: FAO. Accessed 11 November 2015.
<http://www.fao.org/docrep/018/i2968e/i2968e00.pdf>.
Benefit recipients
Head of household
Chikova, H. 2013. “Social Protection in Zimbabwe - Country Paper.” Presentation at SASPEN – FES
International Conference: ‘Social Protection for Those Working Informally. Social & Income (In)Security
in the Informal Economy’, Johannesburg, South Africa, 16–17 September. Accessed 26 February 2016.
<http://www.saspen.org/conferences/informal2013/Paper_Chikova_FES-SASPEN-16SEP2013-INT
-CONF-SP4IE.pdf>.
Minimum and maximum duration of benefits (if any)
Minimum of two years; eligibility based on reassessment thereafter.
Food and Agriculture Organization. 2013. Impacts of the Harmonised Social Cash Transfer
Programme on Community Dynamics in Zimbabwe. Rome: FAO. Accessed 11 November 2015.
<http://www.fao.org/docrep/018/i2968e/i2968e00.pdf>.
Monitoring and evaluation mechanisms and frequency
Baseline and impact evaluations (at 12 and 36 months).
Independent end-user verification by an audit during
and after every payment cycle.
Programme-level routine monitoring every payment
cycle for a minimum of 50 per cent of the districts.
Annual donor reviews.
Food and Agriculture Organization. 2013. Impacts of the Harmonised Social Cash Transfer
Programme on Community Dynamics in Zimbabwe. Rome: FAO. Accessed 11 November 2015.
<http://www.fao.org/docrep/018/i2968e/i2968e00.pdf>.
