The Rome-based United Nations
World Food Programme (WFP) said Tuesday that a groundbreaking
European Union-funded programme is providing monthly cash
assistance that is helping around one million refugees in
Turkey, most of them from war-torn Syria.
The Emergency Social Safety Net (ESSN) programme provides
refugee families with debit cards to cover their basic needs
such as food, rent, medicine and clothes.
The cards can be used to withdraw cash from an automated
teller machine (ATM), or to purchase items in shops like any
other debit card.
Monitoring over the first year of ESSN shows that families
spend their cash assistance primarily on food, utilities and
rent.
The ESSN programme is a partnership between the European
Union Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid (ECHO), the WFP, the
Turkish Red Crescent, and the Turkish Government.
"Life was hard before we got this card," said Macide, a
Syrian refugee who lives in Hatay with her husband and children.
"But now we're getting by. Now, we can pay the rent, the
bills and buy food every month."
It is currently the biggest cash assistance operation for
refugees anywhere in the world.
"Today is a milestone for the life-changing results achieved
by our biggest ever aid programme; and for the EU delivering on
its commitments to Turkey," said Commissioner for Humanitarian
Aid and Crisis Management Christos Stylianides.
"We have made a difference for a staggering 1 million people
already. With the commitment and work of our partners, the
impact of the programme grows by the day.
"Turkey continues to host the largest refugee population in
the world. It is our humanitarian and moral duty to help
refugees that have fled war and persecution".
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