19,000 families to receive $100 a month for next 4 months - Ali

More than 19,000 families most-affected by the impacts of COVID-19 will receive $100 a month over the next four months through digital cash transfers.

This is being done through the Fiji National Philanthropic Trust Cash Assistance Program – a partnership between Save the Children Fiji, Fiji Council of Social Services and Vodafone Fiji.

The first cash transfer to households commenced before Christmas with the final payment due at the end of March.

Save the Children Fiji’s Chief Executive Officer, Shairana Ali says this will be one of the largest cash assistance programs ever rolled out in Fiji and will be especially crucial now as families prepare to send children back to school.

Ali says they have worked closely with other NGOs to identify families in the greatest need of assistance and develop an assessment criteria that targets vulnerable groups such as the elderly, women, children, and people living with disabilities.

The assistance is being distributed digitally through the Vodafone M-PAISA platform.