Providing life-saving basic needs assistance to the most vulnerable Syrian and host community families in non-camps settings, Jordan. In response to the current needs of vulnerable Syrian refugees and Jordanian host communities in regards to basic needs, and in line with both JRP 2020-2022 basic needs strategy and GHRP recommendations, Islamic Relief Jordan (IRJ) intends to provide unconditional cash assistance for the most vulnerable Jordanian and Syrian families in urban areas.The proposed 6-month project aims at supporting vulnerable families accessing basic needs to alleviate the socio-economic consequences of the Syrian crisis and covid-19 pandemic and its economic impact.As of 14 September 2020, 660,262 Syrian refugees are living in Jordan. According to UNHCR Jordan Factsheet of Sep 2020, the majority of Syrian refugees in Jordan live in urban areas and in poverty: Approximately 80 percent of Syrian refugees live under the poverty line and only two percent of households have savings. 46.7% of refugees are children, 4.8% are elderly, 4% have disability, 3.8% are children at risk and 2% are women at risk. Crisis and Covid-19 have tremendous negative effects on the living conditions of both Syrian refugees and Jordanian host communities. The influx of Syrian refugees to Jordan has placed substantial pressure to infrastructure, and the availability and quality of public services has deteriorated in the northern governorates. Furthermore, the refugee influx has caused price increases in host communities: increased demand for food and basic commodities and for rental accommodation has led to both becoming more expensive. 
According to UNHCR Jordan Factsheet of Sep 2020, the majority of Syrian refugees within Jordan live in four governorates: Amman (271,598), Irbid (137,251), Mafraq (86,949) and Zarqa (51,377). According to a survey carried out by UNHCR in 2017, refugee households employ a wide variety of coping mechanisms to help make ends meet. Most survey respondents, for example, reported eating less expensive food (75%), reducing accommodation costs (73%), reducing food intake (72%), and borrowing (60%). Very few, however, admitted to using the types of coping strategies that they perceive will be frowned upon. For instance, only 1% said they have sent their children to work in the past month, only 3% said they had married their daughters to reduce expenditure, and only 5% said they had pulled children out of school. Their research found that cash assistance is helping families avoid dangerous coping strategies. IRJ recent needs assessment was carried out with 3471 families in Amman, Irbid, Ramtha, Mafraq, Jerash and Balqa. 43% of participants families are headed by a female, and 57% by a male. The following percentages represent the winterization needs of the respondents: 21% blanket, 21% gas cylinder, 21% gas heater, 11% carpet, 11% clothes and 15% other.
Both Syrians living in urban areas and Jordanian host communities are having difficulties providing their basic needs, and the JRP 2020-2020 has made it clear that their strategy is to provide targeted social assistance for the poor and marginalized to allow them to maintain a basic level of consumption and dignity. Furthermore, according to GHRP, Covid-19 has spread unevenly across the world in the face of continued community transmission, coupled with socio-economic fallout, Covid-19 will aggravate existing vulnerabilities and create or exasperate humanitarian needs far into 2021. Therefore, one of the strategic priorities of GHRP is to preserve the ability of people most vulnerable to the pandemic to meet their food consumption and other basic needs through humanitarian assistance among other approaches.This project is designed as a response and in line with the findings of the recent needs assessment of IRJ and UNHCR, and in line with JRP 2020-2022 and GHRP. Accordingly, 734  families (4528 individuals) will be supported through cash assistance distribution, the amount of cash is based on the family size (5,6,and7+) and winter package has been endorsed by UNHCR .