Monday, February 18, 2008

Nzema E. selected for pilot LEAP

Nzema E. selected for pilot LEAP

The Ghanaian Times, Monday, February 18, 2008. Page 4 (News)


The Nzema East District has been selected for the pilot phase of Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP). Ms Joanna Mensah. Western Regional Director of the Department of Social Welfare, told the Ghana News Agency in Sekondi, last Wednesday, that they district is the only one chosen for the project in the Eastern Region, adding that 10 communities will benefit from it.


Ms Mensah mentioned eligible beneficiaries of the LEAP grants as orphaned and vulnerable children, extremely poor persons with severe disabilities without productive capacity.


The grant provided between GH¢8 and to GH¢15 every two months to beneficiaries.


The LEAP programme which was recently introduced by the government, involves the direct transfer of money to people considered extremely poor in the country. The programme targets identifiable households who find themselves in extreme poverty situations. The amount ranges from GH¢8 and to GH¢15 depending on the level of need as households having orphans, aged people and people with disability will benefit more.


The technical definition given for a ‘household under the project is “all people who eat from a pot.” It will be implemented within an initial five-year period with a total budget of GH¢25 million.


The latest Ghana Living Standard Survey document indicates that nearly 30 percent of the population is extremely poor, and this is the target group of the project, which is aimed at protecting them from shocks.

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