Maximizing the portion of humanitarian aid given as cash from 20% to 50% could mean directly helping ~2.7 million more people this year without spending more.
Current humanitarian aid often comes in the form of goods and services, which can be expensive to transport, store, and distribute. Cash transfers, on the other hand, are:
- More efficient: No shipping or storage costs
- More flexible: Recipients choose what they need most
- More dignified: People make their own decisions
- More effective: Studies show better outcomes
The shift to cash-based aid is gaining momentum across the humanitarian sector. Organizations are recognizing that cash transfers can reach more people, faster, and with better outcomes than traditional in-kind assistance.
"We have the resources to help millions more people," said Michael Chen, our Director of Programs. "The question isn't whether we can afford to give cash—it's whether we can afford not to."