Cash-based assistance provides dignity, needed support to displaced families in Iraq
Along with hundreds of neighbours, 22-year-old Rehana Gro fled with her husband and 1-year-old son from her village in Sinjar when the militants came and the fighting started. She remembers their house being bombed and thinking, “Now, we have nothing.” They ran from the danger without carrying anything with them. They walked for days until they reached the Zakho District in the Kurdistan region of Iraq.
“Now, we have nothing,” Rehana, 22, recepient of World Vision's cash distribution.
Rehana is one of the 305 people living in open buildings and non-camp areas representing their families at World Vision’s cash distribution in Deraboun District. With the assistance of the Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA), the programme aims to assist more 9,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Duhok (1,000 families) and Sulaymaniyah (500) Governorates.
Moyra Mahari, World Vision’s Cash-Based Programme Manager, said internally-displaced people prefer to receive cash rather than in-kind assistance. “It gives them the freedom and dignity to buy what they need. It also ensures they can get what is urgently needed by the family. While we always advocate that food should be a priority, we allow them to decide – which is I believe is empowering,” she explained.
“[Cash-based support] gives [IDPs] the freedom and dignity to buy what they need. It also ensures they can get what is urgently needed by the family. While we always advocate that food should be a priority, we allow them to decide – which is I believe is empowering,” Moyra Mahari, Cash-Based Programme Manager.
Having managed similar programmes in challenging contexts, such as Somalia and Zimbabwe, Mahari explained some of challenges met during the registration and verification the work. “We need to be flexible because these people move a lot and might not have the proper documents with them. Instead, we try to exhaust all means to ensure that the most vulnerable get help on time,” she adds.
The Unconditional Cash-Based Program goes through an exhaustive process to identify those most in need while also trying to make sure the programme is initiated in a quick and timely manner to respond to the needs of the IDPs. “Unconditional Cash assistance requires less paperwork, does not expire like the vouchers and people are taught how to manage their resources,”,adds Mahari, noting the benefits. Cash-Based programmes, however, are designed to complement other programmes such as food vouchers and distribution of non-food items. World Vision’s cash-based programme is a one time support for families. The size of the support is based on the size of the individual families.
Sheeren, 60, a mother of five from Sinjar said she plans to have her foot checked by the doctor with the money she received. Her son, Haider Khadif, 40, accompanied her in the queue because she is unable walk properly on her own. “We were not able to bring anything except the clothes we were wearing,” remembers Sheeran noting how difficult the journey was for her on an injured foot.
“Time is important. We do not want to delay [the distribution] because people are waiting,” said Fadli Usman Lagi, World Vision’s acting operations manager. “I encourage my team to keep that in mind all the time. Schedules need to be kept and as much as possible. [We try] not to keep the people in the queue for a long time,” he added.
“These people show us they have dignity, even if they have to depend on others for their subsistence. Their humility and patience are something we can all learn from,” agreed Lagi and Mahari.
“These people show us they have dignity, even if they have to depend on others for their subsistence. Their humility and patience are something we can all learn from,” agreed Lagi and Mahari.
As Rehana left the distribution area with her baby, she shyly smiled and thanked us for the support. “I will set aside most of the money for my baby’s needs.” Rehana plans to save the money to provide for her son’s needs as her husband has not been able to find work and they do not know when they will be able to acquire income again. “I hope we can go home someday and I can provide for his future,” she added.