Save the Children Fiji Chief Executive, Shairana Ali.

Around $23 million will be disbursed to 39,000 households in the second phase of Save the Children Fiji’s Mobile Cash Transfer Project.

The project, implemented last year has been further extended to help families who are not able to meet their basic needs due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic particularly those who have lost their jobs and have no source of income.

Save the Children Fiji Chief Executive, Shairana Ali says during the first phase they paid out $6.7 million to over 16,000 households including 2,000 with special needs.

In the extended phase, the organization has identified 25,000 new beneficiaries.

Ali says they have already carried out a verification project and 16,000 households have received their first payment last month while new beneficiaries will start receiving their payment from 1st October.

“Between August and December, we will be assisting 39,000 households. Each household will receive three payments of $200 which will be transferred to their my cash wallet or M-PAiSA accounts.”

The Chief Executive stresses there are certain criteria that need to be met in order to qualify for the assistance.

Meanwhile, the organization continues to work with various key partners to help ease the hardship faced by the families.

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