In light of the impacts of the unprecedented Covid pandemic, Save the Children Fiji, in its humanitarian response, is supporting vulnerable households affected by income and job losses with cash assistance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Save the Children has successfully completed Phase I of its 2021 COVID-19 Mobile Cash Transfer Project assisting a total of 16,772 households.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Each household received $200 per month over a three-month period through a digital cash transfer system, namely Vodafone\u2019s MPAiSA.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A total of $6.7 million FJD was transferred to families to help them meet their basic needs including essential services.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The first and second payments were transferred to households on August 22nd and October 1st 2021. The third and final $200 payment was made during the week beginning 18 October 2021.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Project staff will now conduct a post distribution monitoring exercise to understand how the cash support has helped families during this challenging time. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
In an effort to assist a total of 39,000 households, assistance will be provided to an additional 22,228 families under Phase II of the project. Each household will receive 3 payments of $200 which will be transferred into their My Cash wallet or Mpaisa accounts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Eligible households in Phase II will receive their first payment in November 2021, followed by the second and final payment in December 2021.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe hope that the continued cash assistance from Save the Children will help ease the hardships faced by many families in Fiji,\u201d said Save the Children Fiji CEO, Shairana Ali. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe encourage families to utilise these funds wisely and prioritise spending to meet the immediate needs of their children.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Save the Children Fiji has worked with the Fijian government and civil society partners to identify eligible households. There is no application or registration process to receive payments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Eligibility is confined to those households without a source of income due to COVID-19 and is not an existing beneficiary of any other assistance program, including any social protection or welfare program. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Households must also meet one of the following criteria:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2022 Households supporting more than five people and\/or three children under five-years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2022 Households supporting people with chronic illness, elderly, and\/or persons with a disability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2022 Pregnant and lactating women.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2022 Survivors of Gender Based Violence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2022 Single-headed households, particularly single mothers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2022 Members of marginalized groups<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In total more than $23million FJD will be transferred to 39,000 households by December 2021.<\/p>\n\n\n\n