Expanding Social Protection

The purpose of the Expanding Social Protection (ESP) Programme is to put in place a national social protection system in line with the National Social protection Policy that benefits the poorest as a core element of Uganda’s national policy, planning and budgeting processes.

Between 2010-2015, the Government of Uganda, with support from DFID/UKAID, Irish Aid and UNICEF piloted the Expanding Social Protection (ESP) Programme. The ESPI had two objectives; (i) to develop the National Social Protection Policy and, (ii) the pilot the Social Assistance Grants for Empowerment (SAGE) under which the Senior Citizens Grant was implemented.

Following the successful completion of the pilot in 2015, the Government of Uganda took a decision to roll out the Senior Citizens Grants to an additional 40 districts over 5 years; starting with 20 in Financial Year 2015/16, thereafter to 5 districts every year, till 2019/20.