Families raising twins or triplets, households where children go hungry, and children kept out of school by poverty are now first in line for the state’s Vulnerable Grant, according to a Ministry of Gender Equality and Child Welfare circular sent to all chief regional officers.
A circular dated 12 May and signed by Executive Director Lydia Indombo sets out a priority framework for the grant. It also tightens the rules on refunds, clarifies who keep receiving maintenance grants after age 18, and sets performance targets for the 2026/27 financial year.
The ministry says the grant is still open to applicants, but not every case can be treated equally.
“While the Vulnerable Grant remains open for applications, the ministry has established a priority framework to address the most critical cases efficiently,” reads the statement.
Who comes first?
Priority goes to three groups. The first is high-dependency households, described in the statement as “parents with twins, triplets, or more children”.
The second is families facing severe socio-economic hardship, with the statement naming “extreme food insecurity/malnutrition”.
The third is children who are out of school because of money problems at home. The circular describes them as “children currently unable to attend school due to domestic financial hardship”.
Waiting for funds
Applicants who qualify but fall outside the immediate priority window are not turned away.
The statement further adds that their applications “must still be captured on
ISAS to await the availability of funds”, referring to the Integrated Social Assistance System.
Each application follows set steps. Officials first capture contact and personal details. Social workers then visit the home, and the circular is explicit that a report must accompany the application:
“Home visits must be conducted by Social Workers, and a recommendation report must accompany the application.” Qualifying applications are then captured on ISAS. A Social Security Commission check is also done,” read the statement.
Maintenance grants after 18
For young people turning 18, the circular points to Chapter 16, Section 240(5) of the Child Care and Protection Act. It says the State Maintenance Grant “typically ceases when a child reaches the age of majority (18years)”. The grant can be extended for learners still in school.
“Extensions are granted if the child remains enrolled in a government school. Families must submit a school report or official confirmation letter, along with the parent’s or caretaker’s ID. For now, all documents go to Head Office for processing, to the attention of Auguste Namunyekwa or Shaun Kahimise,” the statement said.
There is no such extension for tertiary or vocational study.
“Currently, grants do not extend to private or public tertiary education. One exception applies to NAMCOL learners,” the ministry added.
Refunds
The circular cites Section 250 of the Child Care and Protection Act, which it says makes “any individual receiving funds on behalf of a child to which they are not entitled or funds not used for the child’s benefit” liable to refund the ministry.
Refunds to beneficiaries are currently limited. The statement says they are processed “only for administrative errors (e.g. incorrect ID, account numbers, or pay-mode and deceased cases)”. Claims are also bound by the budget calendar: “Claims must be processed within the current financial year due to budgetary constraints.”
When grants stop
Grants will be suspended or terminated immediately in three situations. The first is failure to meet the eligibility criteria. The second is funds going uncollected, which the statement words as “uncollected funds for a continuous period exceeding six months”. The third is “evidence of grant misuse, fraudulent statements, or system duplications”.
Targets for 2026/27
The circular says the 2025/26 period was marked by “staff shortages and backlogs”.
For the new financial year, it sets three mandates.
The first is backlog clearance. Regional offices were ordered to process outstanding applications on ISAS by 30 September 2026, and the statement underlines the word “must”.
The second is the faster handling of emergencies. The statement says the
transition to ISAS “is expected to streamline workflows and improve turnaround times for emergency cases (malnutrition/special maintenance grant)”.
The third is public education. “Regions must intensify outreach to educate the public on grant misuse and the legal requirements to report the death of a minor,” reads the statement.
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