HOUSEHOLDS’ PERCEPTION OF THE ASWESUMA CASH TRANSFER PROGRAM: A STUDY BASED ON ANKUMBURA AREA, POOJAPITTIYA DIVISIONAL SECRETARIAT

Abstract

This study mainly aims to assess households’ perception of the Aswesuma cash transfer program in the Ankumbura area, Poojapitiya Divisional Secretariat. This study selected 100 samples from the Aswesuma beneficiaries of Ankumbura area using a simple random sampling method. The primary data were collected through a questionnaire and interview period from July 2023 to July 2024. This study applied the arithmetic mean method Likert (5) scale to identify awareness among Aswesuma recipients, selected factors for data collection and descriptive method to analyze trends for utilization of amount of Aswesuma, investment in livelihood activities, changes in living standard of family of Aswesuma recipients, education expenditure, health expenditure, housing improvements, Samurdhi beneficiary analyzed mixed methods with SPSS - 23 and Excel tools. This study revealed that most of the Aswesuma recipients utilized the cash for more consumption, less investment in livelihood (91%) and poor financial security, not that much change in education and health expenditure, poor housing condition. More than half of the Samurdhi beneficiary received the Aswesuma Cash transfer. Likert scale of arithmetic means, more than 50 % of the Recipients revealed, that they disagree with livelihood activities, rural infrastructure development, community development and not enough cash transfer amount for households’ investment in livelihood and activities of saving group of Samurdhi. In this study suggest that the increasing the cash transfer amount for Aswesuma recipients and encourage to invest in income generating sources. This Aswesuma beneficiaries should be regular monitoring and evaluation to measure the success of the poverty alleviation program.