Social Protection Interventions and Its Contributions Case of Sage-Project in Uganda

Abstract

The main purpose of the study was to find out the contribution of social protection intervention, considering the recently implemented SAGE program in Uganda. The study mainly focused on the elderly who were benefiting from the SAGE program that is those aged 65 years and above. However, this limit was lowered to 60 years in order to accommodate people from vulnerable regions like Karamoja. The SAGE survey was conducted at the point of receipt of the support, questions included the impact of the intervention, dependents, and the saving habits, and each eligible member was entitled to receive shillings 25000. A descriptive analysis on the impact of the SAGE intervention was analyzed and logistic regression on the likelihood to save the SAGE receipts was analyzed using odds ratios. Multivariate analysis indicated that physical status, health status, school attendance of children, and status of the beneficiary are significant predictors of saving SAGE transfer. In conclusion, SAGE has played a big role in improving the welfare of the elderly in Uganda, majority of the recipients are able to access basic needs like food, medical care, and education for the children in the household and also carry out investment in micro-enterprises. However, according to the feedback from the SAGE survey, the government should seriously think of mobilizing more funds to enroll more eligible people and also increase the amount of money given out as transfers twenty-five thousand shillings were currently given is still on the lower side given the rising standard of living in the country.