Effect of Cash Transfer Programme on Health Needs of Vulnerable Children and Orphans in Langas, Eldoret, Kenya

Abstract

Cash transfers are increasingly becoming the best practice in the social protection sector employed to address poverty and vulnerability in developing countries. In Kenya, the Orphans and Vulnerable Children Cash Transfer Programme was launched as a pilot initiative in 2004 in response to extreme poverty and the effects of HIV/AIDS on children. The effectiveness of this programme in improving the livelihoods of orphans and vulnerable children has not been a subject of many studies. Therefore, the research was conducted to evaluate the effect of cash transfer programme on the socioeconomic, health, education and food security needs of orphans and vulnerable children in Langas Ward, Uasin Gishu County, Eldoret, Kenya. Based on the study, this paper presents and discusses the findings on the effect of cash transfer programme on the health needs of orphaned and vulnerable children in Langas Ward. The study adopted the Ex Post Facto research design. The target population for the study was 411 caregivers enrolled on the orphans and vulnerable children Cash Transfer Programme in Langas Ward. A sample of 203 caregivers was selected through simple random stratified sampling and used purposive sampling to select 3 programme officials, 7 children, 7 community health workers and 7 opinion leaders. The data for the study was collected using questionnaires and document analysis. Data analysis was done using descriptive statistics, ANOVA models and mixed methods. The study found that the CT had insignificant effect on beneficiaries’ health and food security with (P-value 0.759), which was greater than the 0.05 significance level. The study recommended that the amount provided by the government to the caregivers should be increased to a range of Ksh 4000-8000 per month, which was the average of amounts suggested by the respondents. Capacity building of the parents and guardians to initiate income-generating activities is also necessary for economic growth.