Red Cross Cash Assistance Empowers Conflict Affected Families
The Ethiopian Red Cross Society (ERCS), in collaboration with Swiss Red Cross (SRC) has conducted cash distribution for about 2,460 conflict affected households living in Konso Zone, Alle and Derashe Special Woredas. Single-headed conflict affected households, elderly people, households who lost their family member during the conflict and disabled people have priority received Birr 8,500 per household in two rounds of payments.
Sochate, a 38-year-old mother of three, lives in Gato kebele of Derashe Special Woreda.
She is a single-headed household. She lost her house, three sheep and five goats destroyed and looted due to the conflict in November, 2020. She fled the conflict with her children whom she could hardly support. “We were not alive, had there not been Red Cross support,” explains Sochate, adding that she bought food for her growing children with the Red Cross first round Birr 4,000 cash assistance.
The same is true for the family of Tenagne, a 44-year-old housewife and mother of six. She lives in Delbina gama kebele of Alle Special Woreda. Her husband, Tefera, is a farmer. “Because of the conflict, we suffer a lot. Our house, cloths and crops were burnt, so we are living now with empty hand,” Tenagne shares. With very little means to keep the family afloat, Tenagne is forced to solicit help from her relatives.
Tenagne and Sochate are just two of the 2,460 beneficiary households. “Taking the cash assistance was easy and fast,” says Tenagne. “There were only a few requirements and we only had to open bank account and wait for the call.” With the Birr 8,500 she received, she bought construction materials – wood and nail – to build house. “This is a great help for us, we are very grateful,” adds Sochate, who bought 8 corrugated iron sheets with the second round Birr 4,500 cash assistance.
Cash distributions enable recipient households to spend money on their priorities, including purchase of household items, food, clothing, and house construction materials.
SRC Delegate Office Project Coordinator, Aschalew Badege said: “Cash distribution provides essential assistance to people in need and allow them to use the money for their own most essential needs. We look forward to strengthen cooperation between ERCS and Swiss Red Cross to continue to provide humanitarian assistance.”
The budget allotted to provide cash assistance through ‘Emergency Response for Conflict Affected People’ project is Birr 27 million, of which about Birr 21 million is distributed to 970; 1060; and 430 conflict affected households in Konso Zone, Derashe and Alle Special Woredas, respectively.