Central African Republic: Cash and Voucher Assistance Snapshot (CVA) (1 January - 30 September 2024)

CONTEXT

From January to September 2024, 30 humanitarian actors in 42 sub-prefectures provided Cash and Voucher Assistance (CVA) worth USD 53.2 million to 780,000 beneficiaries. Compared with the same period in 2023, the number of people assisted, the amount distributed, the number of sub-prefectures covered, and the number of operational cash transfer actors rose respectively by 54.49% (780,000 vs. 504,900), 163,36% (53.2M USD vs. 20.2M USD), 2.44% (42 vs. 41) and 30.43% (30 vs. 23). This growth can be attributed to humanitarian actors’ commitment to adapting their interventions to meet the needs and preferences of those affected. The results of MSNA 2024 showed that 71% of households surveyed prefer cash assistance, with 32% favoring direct cash transfers.

For 2024, the use of the modalities of direct cash transfers and electronic transfers has increased compared to 2023 by 125.76% (565,300 vs. 250,400) and 0.06% (157900 vs. 157800), respectively. The increased use of these two cash assistance modalities is justified by their security, operational flexibility, and lower cost. However, the downward trend in the use of vouchers also continued in the third quarter of 2024 (20,800 versus 96,500 for the same period in 2023, a decline of 78.45%). This trend may be due to high costs and complications associated with repeated coupon distributions and the frequent redemption of coupons.