Social Cash Transfers and Youth Development Trajectories in Lesotho and Malawi

Thandie Hlabana, National University of Lesotho

Social cash transfer schemes have been introduced in many African countries as a means of addressing poverty and inequality. Some of these schemes target individuals or households on the basis of their extreme poverty; others target groups that are deemed vulnerable due to aging (and unable to work) or young (and need investment in their futures). Although, there is strong evidence that SCTs address symptoms of poverty in target populations, these evaluations have focused on targeted beneficiaries. Understanding poverty through a relational lens, we investigate the household dynamics that are influenced by cash transfers. Using a rural village in Lesotho as a case study, we draw on in-depth interviews with young adults, and with people of diverse ages in grant-recipient households, along with a series of participatory group activities with young people, we explore how these social cash transfer schemes are reshaping relationships between generations within households in rural communities.