Phnom Penh, 11 January 2021: Save the Children, with humanitarian funding support from the European Union, provided unconditional cash transfers to 3,000 flood-affected households to cover their basic needs. Save the Children accomplished this in partnership with WING (Cambodia) Limited, Specialised Bank and with the non-governmental organisations (NGO) Khomar and Hagar International. 

In late September 2020, Cambodia experienced heavy rainfall causing major flash floods that displaced thousands of families. Battambang was considered the most affected province, with the highest number of people impacted. Flooding also affected schools in the region, damaging textbooks, furniture, latrines and sanitation facilities.

According to a joint needs assessment conducted through the Humanitarian Response Forum, 34% of households were reported not to have enough to eat. Borrowing food or reducing meal size was common as was taking out loans to buy essential items.

Mrs. Gloria Doñate, Director of Strategy, Program Development and Impact of Save the Children, explained that these flood-affected families are already severely struggling to cope with the socio-economic impact of COVID-19. This additional shock will further compound these households’ ability to purchase food and water, household items, medicines or send their children back to school.  “These families are already having a difficult time in meeting their basic needs as a result of COVID-19 and their loss of income and livelihoods. The unconditional cash transfers will enable them to meet their basic needs with dignity, while helping to restore local markers at the same time” said Mrs. Doñate. 

Mrs. Doñate continued that the unconditional cash transfers will support households, particularly those that are poor, women headed households, those with members with disabilities, elders or pregnant women, to cover their basic needs including food, shelter, medicine, cloths and textbooks. Attention to protection issues such as violence against children or gender-based violence, and the importance of mental and psychological support are cross cutting issues of the intervention.  “During the sensitization for the unconditional cash transfer, Save the Children and partners are ensuring active participation and accountability to affected populations, through strong feedback and complaints mechanisms that are accessible to men, women, boys and girls,” explained Mrs. Doñate. The EU-funded project will also provide WASH services in partnership with World Vision and education in emergencies assistance to ensure boys and girls can return back to school in a safe environment.

“They [Save the Children and partners] explained the project to us in detail and showed us that if we have a problem with the process or are not happy with their work, we can report it to the given address and number,” said Mr. Chhoeun Rath, one of the recipients of an unconditional cash transfer from our project.

During the sensitization for the unconditional cash transfer, Save the Children and partners also promoted the use of the cash to address social and financial barriers so that boys and girls are supported to go back to school.

“I am happy to receive the cash to support my family,” said Mrs. Huy Yno, another beneficiary recipient of an unconditional cash transfer from our project. She continued with a smile: “I use this money for food and save some for my children’s study.”