WFP’s multipurpose cash assistance helps communities rebuild

The FAO-WFP June 2024 Hunger Hot Spot report classifies Ethiopia as a hunger hot spot. The 2024 Humanitarian Response Plan indicates that 15.8 million people are acutely food insecure, with 4 million being internally displaced. Despite the reduction in large scale conflict, the severity of food insecurity remains extensive. 

In a village near Berhale town in Ethiopia’s Berhale town, Halima Ebrahim and her family of 8 are struggling with food insecurity, after returning home from an IDP camp. Halima and her family fled conflict in 2021, when fighting in North Ethiopia forced millions out of their homes. 

“I was born and raised here in this Kebele, and after I  got married here, we made a living trading livestock. “Says Halima. We didn’t have much, but we made do with the income from the goats we reared and sold. The conflict robbed us of the small income source we had.”

Halima recalls the difficulties on the road, where she tragically lost her 4-year-old daughter to dehydration. “As we were fleeing, I had an infant I was carrying, and my daughter was then 4 years old, so I held her by my hands.” Says Halima. My 2 elder sons were just in front of us.  We were in the sun, walking all day long, and slept in the wild. My daughter, it was too much for her. I think it was the exhaustion from trying to keep up with the other people that were fleeing.

After a tragic loss, and walking with a group of IDPs, Halima and her family reached Silsa IDP camp, where they stayed until early 2024.Halima recalls the support her family received in the camp. There were organizations like WFP that supported me and my family with food assistance, and other assistance as well. “WFP gave us wheat flour, oil and pulses.”

Halima and her family have since then moved back to their hometown Garmoynti to rebuild after the Nothern Ethiopia conflict . WFP is providing MPC along with food distribution to communities in Garmonyti, as the area is classified as one of the most food insecure areas in Ethiopia. 

WFP is targeting beneficiaries in the Garmonyit and surrounding areas in Berhale, Afar region based on its vulnerability based assessmne that identifies the most vulnerable communities for food assistance.  Berhale was selected based on the Belg assessment, which predicts HEA Phase 4 conditions for Q3 and Q4, and its classification by FEWSNET as Emergency. 

WFP provided Multipurpose cash (MPC) most food insecure internally displaces communities and host communities and food-insecure people in October, November, and December of 2024. 

The value of the multipurpose cash was set by the National and Regional Cash Working Group (CWG) in Ethiopia as ETB 9,600 per household, which includes a 20% buffer, as recommended through WFP’s market price monitoring. 

For Halima, the cash transfer supports her family to cover food and other needs.  With the collaboration from the Commercial Bank of Ethiopia as the financial service provider, beneficiaries are receiving cash through bank accounts, which will in turn contribute to financial inclusion.

“I was also able to open a bank account by my name. I never had an account before. With the 9,000, I saved some and took out the rest.” Says Halima. 

“What is left in the bank account will be my seed money- I want to start a small business and become self-sufficient.

WFP's multi-donor response is providing both in-kind and cash-based transfers (CBT) to meet basic needs across eight countries, enhancing equitable access to food and nutrition for vulnerable populations, particularly refugees, internally displaced persons, and food insecure host communities