This study was conducted as part of a UNICEF-commissioned review of social protection measures reaching the increasing numbers of vulnerable children in east and southern Africa. The components completed in 2005 looked at three types of social protection interventions: cash transfers, public works programmes (UCT, 2005) and measures that ensure access and retention for educationally marginalised children (MTT/HEARD, 2005). Save the Children United Kingdom and HelpAge International (HAI) were commissioned to carry out the unconditional cash transfer component of this review.