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Report

Post-Distribution Monitoring of MCPA to Sudanese New Arrivals – Egypt 2023: A two-time UNICEF-funded cash assistance programme implemented by UNHCR

February 2024 — By UNHCR, UNICEF

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UNHCR provided a multipurpose cash assistance funded by UNICEF to the most vulnerable new arrivals from Sudan, who were on UNHCR waiting list, to support them in covering their immediate needs, and mitigate potential protection risks, and also to reduce their resorting to negative coping strategies. The cash assistance was meant to cover four months and was funded by UNICEF. It was distributed through Egypt Post Office branches that cover all Egypt’s governorates. To assess the impact of the assistance, and beneficiaries’ views on the cash distribution process, UNHCR conducted a post-distribution monitoring survey (PDM) for MPCA provided in 2023/2024.

Data collection for this quantitative assessment was carried out by a third-party, Sagaci Research, between 11 and 24 February 2024. Telephone interviews were conducted with a representative sample of beneficiary households from Sudanese new arrivals who were randomly selected from Financial Service Provider (FSP) cash collection reports in September and December 2023. The sample size was calculated using confidence level of 95 per cent and confidence interval of 5 per cent. To account for non-response and errors in data collection 15 per cent were added to the calculated sample size.

A total of 371 beneficiary households were interviewed about their use of cash, impact of cash assistance, and potential non-compliance issues they faced during the process of cash collection.

Key Findings

• Slightly less than one third of respondents (29 per cent) reported that the assistance enabled them to cover all or most of their priority needs, while (48 per cent) reported that it covered half of their needs.

• Most of the interviewed beneficiaries (99 per cent) reported that the cash assistance reduced the financial burden on their households, reduced their feelings of stress and improved their living conditions (99 per cent).

• The five most cited spending categories were food (cited by 82 per cent of respondents), rent (62 per cent), utilities and bills (25 per cent), health-related items/ services (25 per cent), and infant items and needs including milk formula, diapers, etc. (5 per cent).

• MPCA enabled most of the beneficiaries (99 per cent) to afford items and or services which they could not afford before receiving it; namely the ability to pay rent/avoid eviction (48 per cent), the ability to purchase more food (45 per cent), eating more diverse and nutritious food (35 per cent) and pay utility bills (16 per cent).

• The majority of beneficiaries (90 per cent) were able to find the needed items in the markets and with the required quality (98 per cent). However, most of them (97 per cent) reported recent increases in the prices of items/services, mainly food, rent and hygiene items.

• Most beneficiaries (80 per cent) needed to resort to one or more negative coping strategies in the four weeks preceding the survey to cover their most pressing needs. The most frequently adopted coping strategy was reducing expenditures on various basic household needs to meet household food needs (62 per cent).

• The majority of beneficiaries (80 per cent) were very satisfied/satisfied with the cash collection process. Also, most beneficiaries (95 per cent) did not require any help to withdraw or spend the cash assistance.

• Most beneficiaries (94 per cent) felt physically safe at all times during withdrawing, keeping and spending cash assistance. While 79 per cent did not face any problems while withdrawing or spending the assistance.

• Among the interviewed beneficiaries, 79 per cent could identify at least one local channel for reporting complaints or feedback on UNHCR cash assistance.