Mothers must not lie in vulnerability grant applications
The gender and child welfare ministry has advised mothers to be honest when registering their children for vulnerability grants.
Speaking at a community meeting in the Tobias Hainyeko Constituency here on Saturday, the ministry's administrative officer Amos Boois said some mothers register their children for vulnerability grants with false information.
This, he said, includes mothers claiming to not know the whereabouts of the father or that the father is unemployed.
Boois emphasised that vulnerability grants are given to children whose parents don't have a source of income or when their income is less than N$1 000.
“What some mothers are doing is really unacceptable. It is a crime to pretend that fathers are not supporting their children while it is not the case, just to get money from the ministry,” said Boois.
He said some working mothers apply for the grant when they earn above the N$1 000 threshold, while some don't even live with their children.
Boois said a mother who does not live with her child should not apply for the grant; the people taking care of the child should submit the application.
“You find that some children are staying with their grandparents at the village and yet some mothers who are in Windhoek apply for the grant.”
Boois said that on a monthly basis and after investigation, the ministry declines about 30 applications.
He emphasised that mothers who registered their children with false information and are found guilty will have to pay the money back.
The ministry offers four types of grants to orphans and vulnerable children. These are the maintenance grant, foster parent grant, special maintenance and the grant for vulnerable children.
The number of orphans and vulnerable children benefitting from the grant system as of March 2017 total 285 431 in all four grant categories.
Each beneficiary receives N$250 per month.
NAMPA
Speaking at a community meeting in the Tobias Hainyeko Constituency here on Saturday, the ministry's administrative officer Amos Boois said some mothers register their children for vulnerability grants with false information.
This, he said, includes mothers claiming to not know the whereabouts of the father or that the father is unemployed.
Boois emphasised that vulnerability grants are given to children whose parents don't have a source of income or when their income is less than N$1 000.
“What some mothers are doing is really unacceptable. It is a crime to pretend that fathers are not supporting their children while it is not the case, just to get money from the ministry,” said Boois.
He said some working mothers apply for the grant when they earn above the N$1 000 threshold, while some don't even live with their children.
Boois said a mother who does not live with her child should not apply for the grant; the people taking care of the child should submit the application.
“You find that some children are staying with their grandparents at the village and yet some mothers who are in Windhoek apply for the grant.”
Boois said that on a monthly basis and after investigation, the ministry declines about 30 applications.
He emphasised that mothers who registered their children with false information and are found guilty will have to pay the money back.
The ministry offers four types of grants to orphans and vulnerable children. These are the maintenance grant, foster parent grant, special maintenance and the grant for vulnerable children.
The number of orphans and vulnerable children benefitting from the grant system as of March 2017 total 285 431 in all four grant categories.
Each beneficiary receives N$250 per month.
NAMPA
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