Multi-purpose cash assistance programme for IDPs in Poltavska, Cherkaska, and Kirovohradska oblasts Since 2nd March 2022, ERC, together with its local partner Unity for the Future (Запорізький благодійний фонд "Єдність за майбутнє", UFF) based in Zaporizhzhya, were the first ones to roll out post escalation multi-purpose cash assistance in Ukraine. As of 25 April 2022, ERC and UFF have reached 19 000 households (ca. 57 000 individuals) using different funding streams, most of them in Donetska, Dnipropetrovska, Zaporizhzhska, Kiyvska, Sumska, Lvivska, Poltavska and Kharkivska oblasts. This includes the programme ERC currently runs in Donetska and Zaporizhska oblasts funded by OCHA.

The current project proposal is an extension of that intervention.

The proposal is developed in line with Ukraine Humanitarian Fund 3rd Reserve Allocation Strategy 2022 and follows its Strategic Objective One - Priority three: “Address the immediate lifesaving and life-sustaining needs of the most vulnerable men, women boys, girls and minority groups through supporting the IDP response through the provision of Multi-Purpose Cash assistance in Western and Central Oblasts, areas with high concentrations of vulnerable IDPs”. The project is also aimed to address the Flash Appeal SO 1: “Provide principled and timely life-saving multisectoral assistance to people affected by the war” also taking in account the tragic evolution of the conflict and the Ukraine Flash Appeal update published in April. The project responds to the need to scale up multisectoral response through the use of multipurpose cash to address the humanitarian needs of affected people in a holistic manner.

This is done by providing internally displaced persons (IDP) with multi-purpose cash assistance (MPCA) for the next 3 months (May 2022 - August 2022). The assistance is targeted at Central Ukraine: Poltavska, Cherkaska, and Kirovohradska oblasts. 

The programme aims to provide MPCA to 4000 individuals for three consecutive months, targeting the most vulnerable: IDPs especially the households with children, women and girls, minority groups, persons with disabilities and older people. From the figures based on our previous MPCA interventions in Ukraine, we estimate our beneficiaries composition to be girls 20%, boys 20%, women 35%, men 15%, and elderly 10%. Approximately 5% of the targeted population is estimated to be with disabilities or chronic illnesses. 

MPCA transfer value is 2220 UAH ($74) per household member, as per the harmonized transfer value agreed by the OCHA cash working group (CWG). The main transfer mechanism is through bank accounts, as long as the banking institutions are still functional. If banking institutions happen to fail in the targeted regions, alternative transfer modalities may be used by the suggestion of the CWG partners. ERC ensures deduplication of effort by close collaboration with other organisations working in the region (including, but not limited to UNHCR, ACTED, Caritas) and has already established contacts with them.

In order to ensure the effectiveness of the programme and that MPCA remains the best assistance modality in the region, ERC closely follows and actively participates in CWG market monitoring, and performs programme operational monitoring activities and post-distribution monitoring of MPCA. ERC/UFF are also part of the Joint Market Monitoring Initiative (JMMI), covering Zaporizka oblast.

ERC is implementing the project jointly with UFF in a mixed team where roles are clearly set out. ERC applied for INGO registration in Ukraine already at the beginning of February but the application is currently pending because INGO registrations have been paused by the Ukrainian government due to the emergency situation. As soon as the application is processed, ERC will open its local representation in Ukraine. ERC and UFF have cooperated for 4 years and have set up effective procedures for financial management and overview. Previous joint projects have also been audited by external auditors.