INFLUENCE OF CASH TRANSFER GRANT FOR ORPHANS AND VULNARABLE CHILDREN ON WELLBEING OF HOUSEHOLDS IN KAKAMEGA CENTRAL: KENYA

Abstract

Cash Transfer Programmes are an essential constituent of social policy, assessing the Programme from the beneficiaries‟ perspective is important in order to determine its influence on the beneficiaries‟ well being. This study sought to establish the influence of cash transfer grant for orphans and vulnerable children on wellbeing of households in Kakamega Central. The objectives guiding this study were; to assess how households utilise Cash Transfer grant for Orphans and Vulnerable children for their wellbeing, to establish the perceived influence of Cash transfer grant for orphans and vulnerable children on food consumption and food security of household‟s wellbeing, to assess the influence of cash transfer grant on education of orphans and vulnerable children for their household‟s well being and to examine the influence of cash transfer grant for orphans and vulnerable children on the social status and social relations for their household‟s wellbeing. The literature reviewed focused on the influence of cash transfer to the well being of households.The methodology used in this study was descriptive survey which utilized case study and survey studies. Quantitative and Qualitative methods of data collection were also employed, questionnaires were used as a quantitative method to collect primary data from respondents who were heads of households i.e caregivers while Key Informant Interview Guide was developed to collect data from key informant who was the Sub County Children‟s Officer and lastly secondary data was collected through a review of existing policy documents, programme documents and other authentic materials. The target population was 863 respondents who are households heads(Care givers) benefiting from the cash transfer in Kakamega Central sub-county.The sample size was269 respondents, this was in conformity with Krejcie and Morgan (1970) table of determining sample size. Both probability (Purposive) and non-probability (Simple random) sampling procedure were used; purposive sampling was used to select the Key Informant while simple random sampling was used to select respondents who were the heads of beneficiary households. For reliability, questionnaires were pretested through administering them to few respondents through piloting then compared the findings to actual data collected while to ensure validity, the instruments were verified by Sub County Children‟s Officer and my supervisor and their opinions were incorporated in the final questionnaire. Data was analyzed using SPSS for windows 11.5 where frequency, tables and percentages and cross tabulation conducted in determination of individual influences of factors among the objectives under study. The response rate was 84.03% and results were presented in tabular forms. Basing on the objectives of study, it was found out that majority of respondents 58.1% prioritized cash transfer grant on purchase of food with a huge number of them 76% saying this grant is not adequate. On food security, majority 78.6% confirmed that cash transfer grant improved food security. Majority of respondents 54.6% agreed that cash transfer had improved education by proving learning materials hence improving school performance 56.1%. Lastly, large number of respondents 46.1% confirmed that the cash transfer had improved their social relations and social relations in the community hence those applauding the cash transfer grant as real useful stood at 78.6%.