Tigray Social Cash Transfer Pilot Programme (SCTPP)
The Tigray Social Cash Transfer Pilot Programme (SCTPP) was an unconditional cash transfer piloted by Tigray's Bureau of Labour and Social Affairs (BoLSA), with support from UNICEF, in two woredas of Ethiopia's Tigray Region beginning in 2011. It provided labour-constrained, ultra-poor households -- those headed by elderly people or people with disabilities, or caring for orphans and vulnerable children -- with a base monthly transfer of ETB 155 plus categorical top-ups for additional dependents. Beneficiaries were identified through community-based targeting by local Community Care Coalitions and linked to complementary health, education, and welfare services. Funded by UNICEF, FAO, HelpAge International, and Irish Aid, the pilot reached roughly 3,767 households (6,716 people) and was rigorously evaluated by IFPRI, IDS, and Mekelle University between 2012 and 2014.
Ethiopia, Tigray, Sub-Saharan Africa, Elderly, Disability, Orphans and Vulnerable Children, Labour-Constrained Households, Community-Based Targeting, Mobile Money, Government Pilot
Headquarters
- Organization Name
- Tigray Bureau of Labour and Social Affairs (BoLSA)
- City
- Mekelle
- State / Province
- Tigray Region
- Country
- Ethiopia
Status & Funding
- Organization status
- Active
- Program status
- Inactive
- Application status
- Timed
- Number of recipients
- 6,716
- Funding type
- Government, Nonprofit, Research Pilot
Benefits
- Currency Type
- Fiat
- Payment frequency
- Monthly
- How long the program lasts
- 48 months
- Ongoing / unconditional
- Yes
- Distribution Type
- Cash (via microfinance institution payment points), Mobile Money
- Benefit details
Beneficiary households received a base transfer of ETB 155 (about US$7.68-8.50 at the time) per month, plus additional categorical top-up amounts for extra child dependents, elderly members, or members with disabilities. Payments were disbursed monthly using a 'pull' delivery mechanism: beneficiaries collected cash from payment points run by Dedebit Credit and Savings Institution (DECSI), a local microfinance institution, or received funds electronically via the M-BIRR mobile money service. Community Care Coalitions (CCCs), the community-level social protection structure, linked cash recipients to complementary health, education, and social welfare referrals ('cash plus' model).
Eligibility
Overview
- Eligibility details
The pilot targeted labour-constrained, ultra-poor households in the rural woreda of Hintalo Wajirat and the urban town of Abi Adi in Tigray Region -- specifically households with no able-bodied working-age adult that contained orphans or vulnerable children (OVC), elderly members, and/or persons with disabilities (PWD). Households were identified through community-based targeting rather than individual self-application. Approximately 75% of beneficiary households were female-headed and about 40% had children under 18.
Family
- Family Status
- Orphan
- Caregiver status
- Caregiver for Elderly, Caregiver for Person with Disability
Health
- Disability status
- Yes
Geography
- Countries covered
- Ethiopia
- Cities covered
- Abi Adi
- Counties covered
- Hintalo Wajirat woreda
- Residency of Target Geography
- Yes
Participation
- Research / data sharing
- Required
- Complementary program enrollment required
- Community Care Coalition social welfare and referral services (health, education, protection) linked to the cash transfer ('cash plus' model)
- Research / participation requirements
The pilot was designed with an embedded mixed-methods impact evaluation led by the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), the Institute of Development Studies (IDS, UK), and Mekelle University, funded by UNICEF, FAO, HelpAge International, and Irish Aid. A sample of treatment and control households (about 1,696 treatment, 1,539 control, plus a random sample of 432) was surveyed at baseline (mid-2012) and endline (mid-2014), alongside two rounds of qualitative fieldwork (2012 and 2013/2014). Published outputs include baseline and endline reports, and FAO briefs on local economy and community-dynamics impacts. Key findings: good community-based targeting quality and timely payments; improved school enrollment, especially for rural girls; strengthened social connectedness within communities; modest transfer size limited some development outcomes; positive local economy income multiplier effects. The evaluation was named one of UNICEF's best research outputs of 2016.
Application Process
- How to apply
There was no open individual application process; eligible households were identified and enrolled through community-based targeting facilitated by local Community Care Coalitions (CCCs) and BoLSA social workers within the two pilot woredas.
- Selection process
Community Care Coalitions (CCCs) -- the primary social protection structure at community/kebele level, supported by BoLSA social workers -- used community-based targeting to identify and validate lists of the poorest labour-constrained households (those with orphans/vulnerable children, elderly members, or persons with disabilities and no able-bodied working-age adult) in Hintalo Wajirat and Abi Adi. Evaluations found targeting quality was good and payments were timely.
