"Bolsa Mãe" programme in Timor-Leste

 

 

What is a conditional cash transfer (CCT) programme?

A CCT programme aims at reducing poverty through cash transfers to poor families while at the same time making these transfers conditional upon the recipients’ actions. Individuals targeted by the programme receive cash transfers if they meet specific criteria such as ensuring that their children attend school or regularly use basic health care services.

 

In the spirit of South-South Cooperation, the Ministry of Social Solidarity (MSS) of Timor-Leste took part in a visit to Brazil in October 2009 in order to learn about its conditional cash transfer programme "Bolsa Família". The visit was organized in order to promote knowledge sharing on cash transfer programmes and to improve the implementation of the conditional cash transfer scheme “Bolsa Mãe” (Mother Purse) programme, and more specifically about the identification of beneficiaries through a “single registry” payment system and monitoring and feedback systems.

The “Bolsa Mãe” programme was launched in March 2008 by the Government of Timor-Leste, together with United Nations agencies (UNDP, UNFPA, UNICEF, UNIFEM and IOM). This programme enables poor households headed by women to address hardships by providing cash benefits on the condition that the identified child attends and successfully completes each level of schooling. Other beneficiaries of the programme are:

  • Single mothers
  • Widows
  • Orphans

The cash transfer varies according to the family structure. The programme covered 11 000 families in the year 2010. An information management system has been created, enabling the “Bolsa Mãe” programme to better identify beneficiary families and reach the most vulnerable families.


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