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Multipurpose Cash Assistance: Helping Women Cope During Conflict

Khadeeja Mohammad, a widow for eighteen years lost her eldest son to the conflict two years ago. Now, she cares for her two ill daughters under severe humanitarian conditions. In a society dominated by traditional gender roles, women like Khadeeja face immense challenges in securing a livelihood and maintaining their households.

The Cash Consortium of Yemen (CCY) programme has been providing critical life-saving support across 13 governorates, including Sanaa in North Yemen. Through Multi-Purpose Cash Assistance (MPCA), with funding from the European Union, CCY empowers families to address their most pressing needs with dignity. CCY is hosted by the Danish Refugee Council (DRC), with partners such as Solidarités International (SI), the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), Mercy Corps, and Acted all working together to deliver impactful assistance where it is needed most.

“Since I lost my husband, life was getting hard for us, and when I lost my oldest son, it was like the end of the world,” shares Khadeeja. “When I work, I don’t have enough to treat my two daughters, bring in food, and pay our house rent. We rely on the generosity of others.”

Khadeeja's daughters require constant medical care—one suffers from Thrombocytopenia, while the other battles acute respiratory distress syndrome. Recognizing the dire situation, the NRC assessed Khadeeja’s household and included them in the MPCA program, providing 3-month instalments of cash assistance.

When I received the cash assistance, I went right away to the hospital to treat my daughters,” Khadeeja explains. “It is our most pressing need. No one has looked after us like the NRC and its program. Thanks to them and the EU, we can retain our dignity.”

On average, MPCA program beneficiaries spend 46,048 YER from each instalment on healthcare, the third most significant expenditure after food and paying off debts. This assistance is crucial in helping families like Khadeeja’s navigate the myriad challenges they face.

In the face of adversity, the resilience of women like Khadeeja shines through. With continued support from initiatives like the CCY, there is hope for a brighter, more equitable future for Yemen’s women and girls.