Evaluation of the MEC's poverty-alleviation programme in the Waterberg District of the Limpopo Province
Date
2009-11-13T13:09:57Z
Authors
Letshokgohla, Motlatso Elias
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Abstract
Background: In 2003, the Limpopo Department of Health and Social Development
introduced a system to train students from poor families as auxiliary nurses as a
poverty-alleviation strategy in the province. The programme was aimed at targeting the
needy: those who depended on social grants for a living, were orphaned or who headed
a family. Five years have passed but no formal evaluation has been done to estimate
the impact of the programme.
Objective: To evaluate the self-reported impact of auxiliary nursing training of youth
from poor families in the Waterberg District on alleviation of their poverty
Methodology: A cross-sectional study design using an anonymous structured
questionnaire. The study population included 200 auxiliary nurses trained through the
programme from 2003 to date.
Results: This research found conclusive evidence that the poverty alleviation project in
the Limpopo Province has significantly improved the economic conditions of the
beneficiaries such as number of rooms in their houses, type of houses, type of floors,
refuse collection, indoor water supply, indoor flash toilet, household assets, access to
water and wood, number of meals, transport and domestic workers. This study also
found positive changes in family income, bank and other accounts. This study shows
significant changes in asset indicator scores after respondents had joined the
programme.
Conclusion: This is the first study to systematically evaluate a poverty alleviation
programme in South Africa. Hopefully, both the Department of Finance and the
Department of Health and Social Development in the Limpopo Province would utilise
the findings of this study to review and to improve other poverty alleviation programmes
in the Waterberg District and the Province.
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Keywords
poverty-alleviation, Limpopo Province