Financial Services Primer for Humanitarians

Financial services facilitate a wide range of economic and households activities in any society. They enable trade and business expansion and allow individuals to save, send and borrow money. Humanitarian cash transfers, particularly when delivered electronically,can expand access to financial services among disaster and conflict- affected populations.

This guide is written for humanitarian actors engaged with cash transfer programming. It defines what financial services are, why they are critical to consider in emergencies and how they can amplify the impact of cash transfer programs.