Sri Lanka Cash Working Group strategy 2023-2025 (December 2022)

Sri Lanka witnessed a large-scale cash transfer programming in 2005/06 in the aftermath of the Indian Ocean tsunami. Many agencies such as Red Cross, Oxfam and Save the Children provided cash transfers to the affected communities to help them meet their basic needs. For example, after the end of the internal conflict in 2009, Solidar Suisse responded
to the large needs among returnees with a rehabilitation program that provided vulnerable returnees with cash grants to restart their livelihood activities. In 2016, Save the Children provided food vouchers and cash assistance to vulnerable families in Mullathivu and Vavuniya districts, to enable them to obtain the food required to meet their daily energy
levels.
Several UN agencies, INGOs, and national entities in Sri Lanka have experience in the use of cash transfers to address the needs of specific vulnerable households. Considering the lifesaving focus and timeline of the second half of 2022 as outlined in the HNP, the overall use of cash assistance delivered in conjunction with in-kind support and services is
intended to support vulnerable households, maintain their purchasing power and dignity of choice to meet their essential needs and preserve livelihoods.