World Bank Confirms $100M Support for Upcoming Social Assistance Program in Togo
Monday, 26 June 2023 14:55 
(Togo First) - Last Friday, the World Bank confirmed it would pump $100 million into the ASTRE program in Togo. This is a social assistance program that aims to support extremely poor households in the country, with an emphasis on supporting women. The funds will be provided by the International Development Association (IDA).
Building on the lessons from the Novissi emergency cash transfer program, and also the IDA-financed Social Safety Nets and Basic Services Project, the ASTRE will enhance the resilience of the most disadvantaged people and break the intergenerational cycle of poverty.
Under the program, every extremely poor resident–thus 1.8 million people in all–will get a cash transfer. And during crises, the program could support up to 250,000 households facing conflicts, and climatic, and health shocks.
By 2029, the ASTRE hopes to lift 1.24 million people out of poverty. To do so, Togo’s government will resort to new technologies and data exploitation. The technologies and data will help improve social service delivery across the country.
Among the planned initiatives is the creation of an interoperable social information system (SISI), which will be used to accurately identify beneficiaries and track their situation. All Togolese residents will obtain a unique and inclusive ID, as part of the project which is one of Lomé’s flagship projects.
A universal registration campaign for poor and vulnerable households in an evolving social registry is planned, with the ultimate goal of deepening the understanding of their socioeconomic situation and adjusting their aid eligibility.
Another major component of the ASTRE concerns cash payments. To facilitate the latter’s transfers, the authorities plan to set up a multi-program and multi-provider payment system.
As said before, the digital financial inclusion of women is one of the program’s top priorities. In this regard, incentives will be introduced to enable women’s designation as aid recipients within households.
Through the ASTRE, the World Bank hopes to boost the resilience of poor households and diversify their means of livelihood. It also hopes that the program will increase household incomes and reduce gender inequalities.
Fiacre E. Kakpo
