Gov’t releases Ksh.1.7 billion to nearly 431,000 orphans, vulnerable children

The government has disbursed over Ksh.1.7 billion to hundreds of thousands of households caring for orphans and vulnerable children across the country, the Ministry of Gender, Culture and Children Services announced on Thursday.

State Department for Children Services Principal Secretary Carren Ageng'o, in a statement to newsrooms, said the ministry released a total of Ksh.1,723,992,000 to 430,998 beneficiary households under the Cash Transfer for Orphans and Vulnerable Children (CT-OVC) Programme, a key pillar of the government's Inua Jamii social protection initiative.

The disbursement covers the January and February 2026 payment cycle, and each household will receive a double payment of Ksh.4,000 for each of the months, which is being processed through a contracted payment service provider.

“The CT-OVC Programme aims to encourage fostering and retention of orphans and vulnerable children within their families and communities, while promoting their human capital development,” noted PS Ageng’o.

“Specifically, the programme supports increased enrolment and transition in education, improved health and nutrition outcomes, enhanced household food security, and better child protection.”