Feasibility study on cash transfer programming for the returnees and the host communities in Gedeo and West Guji zones

Humanitarian actors including Plan International by now have realised a growing importance of Cash Transfer Programming (CTP). Plan International Ethiopia (PIE) has prepared a Response Plan with an aim of assisting the IDPs in Gedeo and West Guji zones. However, as the context is changing rapidly, PIE is now updating the Response Plan with the returnees and the host communities being a principle target population for its response and recovery. The Response Plan has already acknowledged cash as being a useful modality of support should the other factors remain favourable. In order to understand its scope further, PIE conducted a feasibility study on CTP (September 2, 2018-October 2, 2018) in Gedeo and West Guji keeping the returnees and the host communities as the centre of its target.

The major objectives of the study were as follows:

1. To understand the general cash transfer environment in Ethiopia
2. To validate the needs of the returnees and the host communities
3. To analyse the markets to know their functionality and ability to meet the increased needs
4. To assess possible financial service providers and a delivery mechanism
5. To understand political acceptance for the CTP
6. To recommend appropriate CTP modality/ies for the response and recovery