https://goo.gl/sZ7V7x

BOTSWANA
Destitute Persons’ Allowance
Programme
Country
Geographic area
Previous programme name (if any)
Destitute Persons’ Allowance
Botswana
Start date 2003 1
Sub-Saharan Africa
Programme objectives To ensure the provision of minimum assistance to destitute citizens. 2
Programme type
Programme components
Unconditional cash transfer; unconditional in-kind transfer; social support services
Food basket; burial services; cash allowance
Conditionalities (if any)
Targeting methods Proxy means-testing 3
Target areas Nationwide 3
Target groups Poor people and people with disabilities. 3
Eligibility criteria
To be eligible for this grant, the person must be assessed by social workers as
either a permanently or temporarily destitute person. A permanently destitute
person is unable to work due to disability, health issues and insufficient assets
and income sources, having less than four livestock units, receiving an income
of less than BWP120 per month for himself/herself or less than BWP150 per
month if the person has dependents (a dependent is a child under 18 who relies
on an adult for more than half of his/her subsistence). A temporarily destitute
is a person temporarily incapacitated due to natural disasters and accidents or
health-related issues. The temporarily destitute are usually able-bodied people,
and are encouraged to engage in rehabilitation programmes. 3
Eligibility reassessment (if any) In the event of the beneficiary’s death, a reassessment is conducted to
determine the new head of household and the level of assistance they require. 3
Type of benefits
Cash; food; services
Amount of benefits
Beneficiaries are provided with: a food basket every month, shelter, burial services
(at the locality where death occurs or where the person regularly resides) and a
monthly cash allowance. The cash equivalent of the total amount of food transfer
ranges from BWP500 (USD58.80) to BWP600 (USD70.59), depending on the
area, and the cash allowance is BWP230 (USD10.59) per person. Additionally,
destitute students receive school uniforms, toiletries, private clothing and other
grants for educational needs. All destitute persons are exempt from paying for public
services (such as medical, school, water, service levy and electricity charges). 3,4
Payment/delivery frequency Monthly 3
Benefit delivery mechanism Beneficiaries may receive the grants in cash (paid in person by officers from
the Department of Social Services or via post office) or via bank deposit into
their own accounts. 1
Benefit recipients
Minimum and maximum
Benefits cease in the event of death of the beneficiary. 3
duration of benefits (if any)
Coverage 33,730 beneficiaries (2014) 4
Programme expenditure BWP214 million (0.2 per cent of GDP) (2012/13) 5
Institutions and agencies involved Government of Botswana, Ministry of Local Government (MLG)
Monitoring and evaluation
mechanisms and frequency
See the references on page 163: Destitute Persons Allowance
Social Protection in Africa: inventory of non-contributory programmes | 25