More than 900,000 households that have fallen into poverty due to the Covid-19 pandemic have received subsidies in recent months under the Post-Emergency Direct Social Action Program (PASD-PE).

The assistance was directed mostly to women, people with disabilities, the elderly, and child heads of households. The general director of the National Institute for Social Action (INAS), Gloria Siaca, explained that all families enrolled in the program have already received at least one of the three benefits planned in this second phase.

"This program has the goal of making payments to 1,102,825 vulnerable households in the country. These are families who received benefits last year and are now receiving the last tranche," he explained.

Siaca said that there are still 301,000 beneficiaries who have not yet received subsidies in the cities of Beira and Chimoio, a situation that was due to the need to complete the payment of subsidies for families affected by tropical cyclone Idai.

INAS is speeding up the payment of subsidies, using bank transfers. To this end, contracts have been signed with mobile phone companies and commercial banks.

"This payment is the last planned under the Covid-19 emergency. The beneficiaries of this program, who are already registered in the system, may be gradually integrated into other social action programs," he added.

The Covid-19 grant, as the program was known, focused its attention on urban, peri-urban, and border areas that have a higher incidence of poverty and vulnerability due to various factors.

The program is supported by the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the World Food Program, with funding from the governments of Germany, Canada, and the United States of America (USA).