The International Rescue Committee (IRC) exists to respond to the world’s worst humanitarian crises. Their vision is to lead within the humanitarian field by implementing high-impact, cost-effective programs. These programs help to restore health, safety, education, economic well-being and power, to people devastated by conflict and disaster. Alongside their programs, The IRC work towards shaping policies that push for change from a local to global level. The team at IRC are currently operating in over 40 countries to provide vital services such as; responding to urgent health needs, educating vulnerable displaced children, and training for female refugees. IRCs programs are based on the best available evidence, are adapted to context, and responsive to client needs and preferences.
The focus of Thankyou’s grant will be in responding to the humanitarian crisis in Yemen.
After more than five years of war, millions of people are now hungry, physically unwell, destitute and acutely vulnerable. A staggering 80% of the population requires some form of humanitarian assistance and protection.
According to the most recent Integrated Food Security Phase Classification analysis, 359,500 people in the Aden governorate of Yemen are predicted to be living in a humanitarian emergency or crisis situation, and in need of urgent humanitarian assistance, by the end of 2020.
Despite the ongoing assistance, 20.1 million people in Yemen at large are food insecure, of which nearly 10 million are severely food insecure.
Now, Yemen faces the devastating impact of COVID-19, which has been spreading across the country since April 2020. As of 14th of September, there are 2,011 total confirmed cases and 583 deaths, giving Yemen the highest case fatality rate in the world.
COVID has further exacerbated the fragility of Yemen, which has greatly impacted people’s ability to afford food and other basic items such as medicine.
The impact is particularly great on already-vulnerable households, and existing vulnerabilities – such as malnutrition – will be exacerbated. In addition, these households will likely experience drastic increases in household debt; they may be required to sell off assets including productive assets with longer-term value; or they may resort to other negative coping strategies if they do not get immediate support.
It is this immediate support that the IRC’s Multi-Purpose Cash Assistance (MPCA) program will provide for extremely vulnerable households in the Aden Governorate. MPCA is one of the strongest evidence-based interventions to meet vulnerable people’s basic food and non-food needs in humanitarian crises.
Despite the overarching macroeconomic damage in Yemen, local markets and supply chains have remained resilient and are currently functioning. They have been able to provide sufficient quality and quantity of food and other household items. It is therefore important to use cash transfers instead of other forms of emergency aid, as cash transfers can have a positive multiplier effect on local economies in emergency contexts, contributing to the recovery of local markets that benefit from an increase in demand. As many vulnerable households are unable to afford basic commodities due to a lack of purchasing power – cash assistance will help to address this.
