Cash Transfer for Orphans and Vulnerable Children (CT-OVC)

Cash Transfer for Orphans and Vulnerable Children (CT-OVC)

The Cash Transfer for Orphans and Vulnerable Children (CT-OVC) Programme is the first Government cash transfer programme, established in 2004 with support from development partners as a social protection intervention aimed at mitigating the adverse effects of the HIV/AIDS epidemic on children and households. The programme was designed to provide regular financial assistance to households caring for Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC), thereby enhancing their access to basic needs, improving their welfare, and promoting their long-term development and well-being.

The programme began as a pilot initiative targeting 500 households across the districts of Kwale, Garissa, and Nairobi. Following its success, the programme was progressively expanded and now operates nationwide, reaching approximately 440,000 vulnerable households across all counties in Kenya. Over the years, the value of the cash transfer has increased from an initial KSh. 500 paid every two months to the current benefit level of KSh. 2,000 per month, demonstrating the Government’s commitment to strengthening social protection for vulnerable children and their caregivers.

The CT-OVC Programme seeks to improve the quality of life of orphaned and vulnerable children by supporting household consumption, facilitating access to education and healthcare services, and reducing the economic vulnerabilities faced by beneficiary families. Since October 2023, when the last enrolment of new beneficiaries was conducted, the programme has continued to provide critical support to existing beneficiaries and is currently fully financed by the Government of Kenya. Through this intervention, the Government continues to safeguard the welfare, protection, and development of vulnerable children across the country.

The overall objective of the programme is to encourage fostering and retention of OVC within their families and communities, and to promote their human capital development. Specifically, the programme aims to:

  1. Increase the enrolment, attendance and transition of OVC in basic education;
  2. Reduce morbidity and mortality rates in children aged 0-5yrs.
  3. Promote household food consumption and food security;
  4. Encourage civil registration of children and caregivers; 
  5. Cushion children affected by child protection vulnerabilities such as separation from families/guardians, child pregnancy and incarceration of parents
  6. Improve referrals and linkages for households to other service providers.
  1. A child living permanently in an extremely poor household
  2. Orphanhood: A poor household with an orphaned child who has lost one or both of his/ her parents (or has lost a person that was formally conferred with parental responsibilities by law) through death. Parent(s) can include biological or anyone who has been conferred parental rights by law.
  3. Child-headed household: A poor household in which a child or children (typically an older sibling) assumes the primary responsibility for the day-to-day running of the household. 
    • Note: The child must be connected with an adult caregiver living outside the household 
  4. Chronic illness: A household with either (a) a child who is chronically ill or (b) a caregiver that is chronically ill and unable to perform his/her duties
  5. Disability: A household with a child with a disability or whose caregiver has a disability [Note: if disability is severe, they may be considered under the CT-PWSD]
  6. Care Reform: A household with a child reintegrated with biological family/family of origin within the care reform or with a child placed into alternative family or community-based care within care reform.
  7. Children of imprisoned parent(s): A household with a child whose parent/guardian is serving a jail term/remanded for a minimum period of two years
  8. A household not benefiting from any social assistance programme with exception of a household having OP-CT beneficiary or a household not benefiting from HSNP.
  9. A household whose members have been residents in a particular location for more than a year.

The CT-OVC Programme has improved the well-being of orphans and vulnerable children by enhancing household income, food security, access to education, and healthcare. It has also strengthened child protection, reduced vulnerability, and supported better living standards for beneficiary households.