6000 children in Dominica will benefit from a cash donation through an Emergency Cash Transfer Program

UNICEF Eastern Caribbean Deputy Representative, Muriel Mafico (left) with Helen Royer, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Social Services, Family and Gender Affairs

​Six thousand children here on Dominica are in line to benefit from a cash donation, through an Emergency Cash Transfer Program, which was made possible, through a partnership between the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF), World Food Program (WFP), UNICEF Eastern Caribbean Area, & Ministry of Social Services, Family & Gender Affairs.
 
The beneficiary children are those that are most vulnerable on the island, who were affected by Hurricane Maria.
 
A program document was reportedly signed with the Ministry of Social Services, Family and Gender Affairs, for the implementation of the emergency cash transfer. A UNICEF Facebook page post stated that “The Program aims at reaching the country’s most vulnerable households; and also at raising the capacities of the country’s social protection system, to respond better to future emergencies”.
 
A total of 8,300 households will receive an unconditional cash transfer for a period of 3 months, with the specific aim of contributing to adequate access to food as part of the program.
 
It will also support the immediate needs of 6,000 of the most vulnerable children affected by the hurricanes, by providing unconditional cash child grants for the same duration. The post added that UNICEF is also providing technical assistance and accompaniment to the Ministry, to support the implementation of the cash transfer.