Save the Children Fiji is ensuring that people do not abuse the cash given as assistance

Save the Children Fiji says they are ensuring that people do not abuse the cash given as assistance by them to buy alcohol, cigarettes and kava through conducting post-distribution monitoring exercise and by interviewing recipients.

CEO Shairana Ali says there are staff that actually go into the community and visit each of the households who have received the assistance and conduct interviews with them.

She adds they also receive feedback from the partners that they are working with who have their own networks in the community.

She says in most cases people have used the funds for legitimate purposes such as buying groceries and community works.

She says so far they have not come across anyone misusing the funds that was given and they have always been encouraging families to use the funds wisely.

The organization will be assisting 39,000 households and transfer more than $23 million by December this year through its Cash transfer program.

Ali says they are assisting households that are without a source of income due to COVID-19.

She says the eligible applicants are not an existing beneficiary of any other assistance program, including any social protection or welfare program.