ERCS steps up cash assistance for IDPs in Moyale

Ethiopian Red Cross Society (ERCS), in partnership with the International Committee for Red Cross (ICRC), has stepped up efforts to ensure internally displaced people (IDPs) in the Moyale Woredas of Oromia and Somali regions have access to cash in order to meet their basic needs.

 

Since April 2018, the Red Cross has provided 3,000 birr to 1,517 vulnerable families, totaling 4.5 million birr in cash assistance.

 

“This financial support will help people meet their immediate needs,” said Kalkidan Belete, ERCS Cash Transfer Program Coordinator. “Families can reinvest the money to purchase food and basic non-food items lost because of the conflict.”

 

The intervention is done by mobile money transfer and the beneficiaries receive a text message to their mobile phone number. They can then withdraw the money by showing the text message to the Commercial Bank of Ethiopia.

 

“The modality used enables those displaced by conflict to receive the cash in a secure manner. Additionally, it benefits the local economy as it generates revenue in the community,” added Kalkidan.

 

ERCS has planned to incorporate cash transfer programs, in collaboration with its Partner National Societies, in the annual contingency plan of 2019.