Multi-Purpose Cash Assistance Puts Food and other Basic

Needs on the Table for Displaced Households

Ubah Fanah Rashid, a displacement-affected mother with four children in Qansaxley IDP camp, Dollow town, Ged
region. Photo: NRC.

Somalia is facing the huge impacts of climate change and ongoing conflict, which have created a
challenging situa8on for the Somali people. The country has experienced an alarming increase in the
frequency and severity of climate-related shocks, leading to devasta8ng consequences. In 2022, a
prolonged drought pushed Somalia to the brink of famine.

Gedo region, like many other parts of Somalia, has been severely affected by the drought, which has
resulted in the displacement of communi8es and loss of life. As a response, many individuals and
households have sought refuge in areas where humanitarian aid is available, hoping for improved
condi8ons.
Ubah Fanah Rashid, a mother of four children, is currently living in Qansahley IDP camp. She originally fled
from Bay region due to prolonged drought. The harsh living condi8ons in Bay region compelled Ubah's
family to embark on a search for humanitarian assistance.

During their journey from Bay region, they crossed various loca8ons such as Lowforar, Qundit, Luuq, and
Geedwayne before finally reaching Dollow town in Gedo region. The en8re journey was on foot. Ubah’s
family was mainly dependent on casual work and some humanitarian assistance.
Ubah was selected for NRC’s cash project funded by European Commission Humanitarian Aid Office
(ECHO) through the Somali Cash Consor8um which has brought posi8ve changes to her family’s living
condi8ons. She received $110 per month for a period of three months. Ubah also narrated about the
selec8on process, men8oned that it was a fair process, and the most vulnerable individuals have been
selected for cash assistance.

Ubah and her family were facing dire situa8ons before receiving cash assistance. They could barely afford
one meal per day, and there were 8mes when they couldn't even manage that.

“My child suffered from malnutri8on and had to be hospitalized. Although my child received some
medica8ons, but my en8re family struggled a lot before receiving the cash assistance. I also lived in a
constant fear that my children would die due to the harmful effects of malnutri8on,”

“Aaer receiving the cash assistance, our life has changed a lot, and because of the cash assistance, I was
able to buy food, clothes and medicine for my children’’, says Ubah.

Cash assistance provides affected households with the flexibility to priori8ze their most pressing needs. It
empowers individuals to make decisions based on their unique needs, allowing them to choose and
purchase the items they require the most, whether it's food, water, or other essen8al items.

Ubah believes that the cash assistance has provided them with the means to meet their basic needs,
rebuild their livelihoods, and regain their dignity. Addi8onally, she recommends extending the dura8on of
the cash assistance to a period of six months, as she believes this prolonged support would have a
substan8al and transforma8ve impact on their lives. She also suggested increasing the dura8on of the cash
assistance for a period of six months so that the support would make a significant change on their lives.