Digital Payments
Digital technology is transforming the way we respond to emergencies. Innovations range from how we identifying people eligible for assistance, to data collection for assessments and monitoring, to communication with crisis-affected communities. Digital payment systems, including mobile devices, electronic vouchers, and cards – when used appropriately – can deliver timelier, more secure, more cost effective, and inclusive assistance. But as the volume of data we collect, store and share about people grows, we must ensure that our data protection systems keep pace and that we understand and mitigate for the risks inherent in new technologies.
Featured Content
Podcast: Is informed consent possible in humanitarian CVA?
Podcast
Episode 2 of the CashCast tackles data responsibility with Amos Doornbos, Linda Raftree, James Eaton Lee and Ric Tighe
Consent and Ownership in the Shift to Digital Cash and Voucher Assistance
Blog Post
Part of committing to cash and voucher assistance (CVA) is committing to going digital and collecting data. While they are two different things, they are deeply intertwined. And while an organisation can ‘go digital’ without cash programmes, it’s nearly impossible to commit to cash programmes in the long term without going digital. Yes, it is true we’ve done cash and voucher programmes...
Latest
Cash Week 2018: Event Report
Report
Cash Week 2018 was a series of events aimed at advancing issues, reflecting, and preparing for the future of cash and voucher assistance. The events, which took place in London and online from 15-19 October 2018, were intended to provide opportunities for: Networking and collaboration between the CALP...
E-Transfer implementation guide
Guidelines and Tools
This updated E-transfer Implementation Guide replaces the original guide published in 2014. In cash transfer programming (CTP), electronic transfers (e-transfers) are a digital replacement for paper vouchers or physical cash. E-transfers are a disbursement mechanism – a way of transferring money, goods...
Review of Food for Peace Market-Based Emergency Food Assistance Programs Global Report
Report
Efficient and effective use of humanitarian funds is critical to meet the emergency needs of as many people as possible, especially as emergencies in developing countries have become more numerous, complex, and protracted. The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Office of Food for...
Review of Food for Peace Market-Based Emergency Food Assistance Programs: Jordan/Turkey Case Study Report
Report
Syria regional crisis: The response to the Syria regional crisis exemplifies the challenges and opportunities involved with delivering food assistance in a widespread, largely urban refugee and internally displaced persons (IDP) crisis affecting middle-income countries. This case study focuses on...
Review of Food for Peace Market-Based Emergency Food Assistance Programs: Nigeria Case Study Report
Case Study
Nigeria is an example of food assistance in a conflict situation in the Sahelian context. The response used information technology to deliver one of the more sophisticated applications of voucher programs. This case is a good example of proactive implementing partner (IP) mechanisms and monitoring systems...
Hygiene NFI Provision through Cash Assistance with E-Voucher Modality: PDM
Report
NCA & LWF Gure-shembola Refugee Camp CBI PDM report.
Gure- Shembola Refugee camp E-vouchor pilot program- Learning Document
Report
Norwegian Church Aid (NCA) in partner with Lutheran World Federation (LWF) have been completed their project using CBI approach. The project was aimed to provide Gure Shembola refugees with access to their choice of hygiene items through an e-voucher system. This learning document aims to document the...
Digital Financial Service Ecosystems in Bidi Bidi Refugee Settlement
Report
A report about the Digital financial services ecosystem Bidibidi refugee settlement, Uganda. This document consists of a mapping of the six pillars of the DFS in Bidibidi Refugee Settlement and Host Community, with funding from UNCDF.
Harnessing Digital Technology for Cash Transfer Programming in the Ebola Response. Lessons Learned from USAID/Office of Food for Peace Partners’ West Africa Ebola Responses (2015–2016)
Report
Globally, the adoption of digital technology has grown alongside the increase in cash transfer programming (CTP), often through the use of e-transfers, in part because of the potential gains in accountability, efficiency (cost and time) and effectiveness. The 2015 High Level Panel on Cash Transfers...
How We Built a Global Action Agenda to Enable Digital Payments in Humanitarian Response
Blog Post
In recent years, digital payments have emerged as an essential, high-impact tool for humanitarian response. They can enable humanitarian responders to quickly reach people with assistance, and in ways that provide both short- and long-term benefits to those in need, such as access to safe and portable...
Shock-Responsive Social Protection Systems Research: Literature Review (2nd Edition)
Report
DFID has commissioned research into Shock-Responsive Social Protection systems, to further understand the nature of the interaction between social protection, humanitarian and disaster risk management systems and ways in which long-term social protection systems can be scaled up to provide support in...
Cash or in-kind? Why not both? Response Analysis Lessons from Multimodal Programming
Report
This research reviews lessons learned about response analysis from multimodal responses, that is, responses in which practitioners determined that more than one response modality between cash,vouchers, and in-kind, was a “best fit” or in which the conclusions about “best fit” changed over...
Kenya Red Cross Society Using New Technology to Reach Communities in Hardship Areas
Report
Kenya Red Cross Society responded to the severe drought through cash transfers in Marsabit county. Unlike an earlier drought, where KRCS used manual system to pay beneficiaries in the same geographical area, this year the organisation used a payment technology provided by a company called Compulynx....
A buffer against the drought
Report
The Government of Kenya in partnership with DFID undertake a long term social protection program(Hunger Safety Net Program) in Northern Kenya reaching out to poor households with bi monthly cash transfers. So much investment has been put in this program including pre-registration and carding of...
Cash-based transfers. Analytical Paper on WHS Self-Reporting on the Agenda for Humanity
Report
Forty-three stakeholders reported on World Humanitarian Summit (WHS) commitments related to cash-based transfers (CBT). Self-reports indicate that cash is increasingly a preferred option, when appropriate, taking into account context and feasibility considerations. Cash programming is being streamlined...
Adaptable and effective: Cash in the face of multi-dimensional crisis
Report
A summary of the learnings and recommendations from an internal and external evaluation of the Emergency Cash-First Response to Drought-Affected Communities in the Southern Provinces of Zimbabwe project which was carried out from August 2015 to May 2017. The external evaluation was carried out by Oxford...
Digital Cash Transfers in Liberia. A case study from Save the Children’s Emergency Food Security Program (2015- 2016)
Report
Through its USAID-funded Emergency Food Security Program, Save the Children was the first organization to implement cash transfers through mobile money at scale in Liberia, where mobile money services are nascent. From liquidity management to incentivizing agents, the challenges, lessons, and...
Mobile Money in Somalia – Household Survey and Market Analysis
Report
Key findings from an assessment of mobile money in Somalia. Provides information about mobile money penetration; practicalities; usage; perceptions and the use of shillings versus dollars.
ELAN Humanitarian KYC Case Studies
Report
Know Your Customer (KYC) regulations, also known as customer due diligence, are designed to combat money laundering, terrorist financing, and other related threats to the financial system. They refer to the ID checks that financial institutions perform to comply with national financial regulations....
Can E-Transfers Promote Financial Inclusion in Emergencies: A Case Study from Ethiopia
Report
The Electronic Cash Transfer Learning Action Network (ELAN) launched this research to build an evidence base around connecting emergency electronic transfer (e-transfer) recipients with additional financial
services. They also wanted to learn if, when, and how e-transfers can promote sustained uptake and...
