Minutes of Cash Sector Working Group (CWG) Meeting Maiduguri, Borno State / Nigeria 22 June 2017 Chair: OCHA Attendance: WFP, Mercy Corps, Oxfam, ZoA, IRC, NRC, PCNI, CRS, PUI, PLAN, AHH, DRC. A) Action Points from the last meeting 17 May 2017 Agenda Items Action Points from the last meeting Status Review of minutes and updates on last action points Invite WFP/VAM for next meeting to make presentation on the review of Cash Transfer Value Update CWG on PCNI/Government cash transfer programs/activities Invite NFI E-voucher TWG to attend the next meeting. Review of ToR Send the draft ToR of the CWG to partners who did not receive it in the first round. Share the ToR of the Abuja CWG. Update on the recruitment of cash technical coordinator. Partners to send comments on the ToR to OCHA before the next meeting. Partners to send the names and contact details of focal and alternate CWG members to OCHA by 22 May. Partners Share the finalized information on cash mapping for March and April Mapping 2017 and send out to partners for review before dissemination. Share 3W guidance with CWG colleagues Following the development of a harmonized and standardized MEB by Food Security Sector, partners agreed to discontinue the invitation to WFP/VAM. (Closed) A representative of PCNI was invited to make a presentation on the National Cash Transfer Program (Done). Since a Technical Working Group has been set up to harmonize and include other sectoral needs in MEB, the invitation to NFI TWG will be discontinued. (Closed) The ToR was shared with the partners. (Done) The Abuja ToR was also shared (Done) Mercy Corps provided update on the recruitment of Tech- Coordinator. The Tech-coordinator will resume work in 2 weeks. (Done) Only CRS shared comments on the ToR with OCHA. (On-going) On-going updating of contact list. Map updated based on inputs from partners and shared (Done) 3ws guidance shared (Done)
B) Minutes of the Meeting 22 June 2017 Agenda Items Discussion Responsible/Timeline Action Points Tour de table Short introduction of all colleagues/agencies present Update from Partners Mercy Corps The Cash Platform Project Manager announced that the Cash techcoordinator has been recruited and will arrive in 2 weeks. CRS 23,421 people in 3,738 HHs in Simary and Munadalti wards of Jere LGA received monthly food assistance through electronic transfers; per capita transfer value is USD 7.78 in Munadalti while it is slightly higher @ USD 9.77 in Simary since it has a cash for water wallet in addition to food, nutrient rich food, and soap wallets; 3,850 Household received agriculture seed assistance via e-voucher in Simary, Munadalti, and Benisheike of Jere and Kaga LGA, out of which about 2,831 women headed household received garden kits; 2,538 households in Munadalti-Jere LGA received one-off NFI assistance in May 2017; 655 households will receive NFI assistance in Benisheikh, Kaga LGA in the current week (using e-voucher). CRS has expanded activities in Gubio where 760 households will receive food assistance in current week using e-voucher; 500 households in Gubio will also receive agriculture tools (using e-voucher) Mercy Corps will inform the CWG when the Tech-Coordinator arrives CRS, ACF and ZOA have signed an MoU to share bio-metrics of IDPs being piloted in Old Maiduguri. Other organizations especially those using Redross may join. Any organization intending to join should contact CRS It was observed that ACF, NRC and ZOA are implementing cash activities in Sulumuri. The three partners will meet to ensure there is no duplication of efforts/activities in the location. PLAN International Started CTP in Mafa, Gwoza and Askira/Uba. The exercise is a direct cash and unconditional cash transfer. It s conducted by local FSP (Kawurembe). The transfer value varies with location; Gwoza and Mafa is 3,000 naira/capita because WFP is conducting blanket food distribution while in Askira/Uba is 4,000/capita naira because of the absence of such service in the previous LGAs. The project is supported from Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs through Dutch Relief Fund (i.e NJR3 project) and Stichting Samenwerkende Hulporganisaties (SHO). These are nutrition projects mainsreaming cash transfer. PLAN also conducted CTP in Tamsungandua ward, Mafa LGA; the total beneficiaries were 3000 individuals from 497HHs. The transfer value in
Mafa LGA is 3000 naira; the exercise was a complementarity effort to WFP food blanket distribution. The same with Gwoza. There were 8150 beneficiaries from 1500HHs in Gwoza town. The transfer value was 3000 naira as well because of WFP presence in Gwoza LGA. In addtion, PLAN distributed cash to 7100 beneficiaries for 1300HHs in Askira/Uba LGA (Ngohi, Algarno, Giwa Pazza, Askira east, Uba wards) with transfer value of 4000 naira. This is due to limited partners presence. In total PLAN distributed cash to 18,250 beneficiaries from 3297HHs. PUI PUI is implementing food assistance through E-voucher in Bolori II ward, Maiduguri, more specifically: Bolori 6: ECHO-funded project for 6-months E-voucher. Approximately 18,500 persons including family with SAM children registered at the PHC who will be supported for 3-months Stage: Cards distribution ongoing. 1st disbursement planned for early July. Bolori 2, 10 and 11: FFP-funded project. Approximately 40,000 persons. Consortium with ZOA who will work in Bolori 9. Stage: Project has just started. Bolori 7: ECHO funded project for 5 months. Approximately 15,000 persons. Stage: not started yet PUI planned a E-voucher amount at 3,233NGN. This amount will be applied for the first disbursement. However, following the Food Basket harmonization process (WFP/SCI), PUI has decided to increase the amount of its E-voucher to reach the decided selling of 70% (3500NGN per individual/month). This decision has been taken in coordination with SCI who is working in the area (Bolori 8), in order to have the same amount for all Bolori II ward. Indeed, except for Bolori 5, covered by Christian Aid for an intervention still needed to be determine, all other areas should be covered with the same amount. WFP WFP reduced the amount of cash distribution by 30%, from N23,500 to N16,500 for June transfers because of recommendations of the HH economy study carried out by Save the Children which showed that households in urban areas are capable of meeting part of their food requirements. The reduction is also due to the WFP prioritization plan which seeks to focus the few available resources to meet the most vulnerable.
The reduction applies to urban areas while beneficiaries in rural areas will continue to receive N23,500 For July to September, based on the latest market assessments carried out by WFP VAM unit as well as recommendations from the harmonization committee, WFP will transfer N17,500 and N18,000 to urban beneficiaries in Borno and Yobe respectively while maintaining the full ration of N23,500 in rural areas. WFP is currently carrying out a community re-targeting exercise aimed at supporting the planned scale up of cash transfers in both Borno and Yobe. The exercise is taking place in the current in-kind sites, after which identified beneficiaries will be registered into WFP s beneficiary management system, SCOPE and subsequent preparations for transition to cash expected to start immediately DRC Currently working in Jere, MMC, Konduga, and Kaga on projects funded by SDC and EUTF. Plans are to implement CTP in these areas depending with the results of the Livelihoods Market Assessment. Targets for conditional/unconditional cash/mpg are 300Extremely Vulnerable Individuals (EVIs) in these areas. 60 youth for CFW. DRC has also provided vegetable crop production inputs and training to 320 households in Jere and Kaga LGAs. NRC Targeting 3,500 beneficiaries with cash for income generating activities in Gulaula and Muda 54,000 value. VCP targeting 1,600 beneficiaries in Konduga, Masemori, Guseri 25,000 value. Supporting farming activities targeting 200 beneficiaries in Bolori bulin and Matati and Food distribution to 2000 beneficiaries in Bolori, Manti, and XXXX IRC Discontinued project in Sulumuri FFP Funded Cash Project - 7,959 households (39,500 individuals) in three wards of Konduga, Mairamri and Malari in Konduga LGA. Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS). 373 households, (2,211 individuals) in Bolori 1 ward of MMC LGA.Per capita (transfer 3,000 naira per individual). AHH
Carrying out cash activities in MMC, Jere and Mongunu. In MMC, 6,000 beneficiaries targeted with 24,000 for 9 months. In Jere, 8,000 HH supported with in-kind assistance while in Mongunu supporting IGR activities. Cash for NFIs targeting 3,000 HH and cash for water for 815 beneficiaries. ZOA Target for World Renew is 799 households. We have reached that target and some households have received 2 tranches while some have received three tranches. ECHO target is 1,281 HHs and target met and some households have received two tranches while others have received two. DRA, our target is 1,800 but we have reached only 155 households with only one tranche each. FFP target is 2,250 but will commence July. Oxfam Targeted 886 HH in Gwoza and 700 HH in Pulka. Plans to target 12,000 HH in Rann RESCUE FFP Funded Cash Project: 7,959 households (39,500 individuals) in three wards of Konduga, Mairamri and Malari in Konduga LGA. Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS): 373 households, (2,211 individuals) in Bolori 1 ward of MMC LGA. Per capita (transfer 3,000 naira per individual). Government Cash Transfer Program AHH: Responding in MMC, Jere and Mongunu. Targeting 6,000 HH with cash for food. Value 24,000. 5 rounds of transfer done out of 9 circles. Targeting 1,100 HH with IGA support, Cash for NFIs for 3,00 HH and Cash for water for 2,815 HH. Also micro gardening for 200 HH. In Mongunu, targeting 8000 HH with in-kind but planning to shift to cash transfer. In May, supported 5,048 HH. A representative of PCNI made a brief presentation on the National Cash Transfer program. A progress report on the Federal Government Social Investment Program indicated that cash transfer activities have commenced in Borno State and an MoU signed between the National office for Cash Transfer and Borno State Government Partners requested for more information on the National Cash Transfer Program. OCHA will meet with the National Coordinator for Cash Transfer in Abuja on Thursday 29, June. Will provide update at the next meeting.
Cash Transfer Program office has also been established under the Office of the Head of Service, Borno State. SEMA was the focal point for mobilization and registration/documentation of IDP beneficiaries. 5,000 Naira was transferred to the beneficiaries. OCHA announced that a meeting has been scheduled with the Coordinator of National Cash Transfer program in Abuja. OCHA will request for inputs from partners on issues to include on the agenda for the meeting. Update on MEB OCHA announced to partners that the Food Security Sector has developed a draft harmonization document on MEB for food. The document is being finalized with inputs from FSL partners. Being that the draft MEB document only focuses on food, the CWG decided to develop MEB that will cover other needs including Shelter/NFIs, Education, Sanitation/hygiene and water including communication and transportation. A draft MEB including other sectors was presented by Oxfam to the group. The group agreed to set up a taskforce to work on the draft and consult with sector leads to make inputs. Partners will send inputs on issues to include on the meeting agenda with the National Coordinator for Cash Transfer to OCHA. A taskforce comprising of Oxfam, CRS, WFP and IRC was set up to work on the draft MEB The taskforce will present a draft MEB at the next CWG meeting. OCHA to contact ERC team and update on partner and Government capacity survey and other elements of the project at the next meeting Review of ToR Some partners did not receive the CWG ToR OCHA to recirculate the revised ToR before the next meeting. Cash Mapping/Tool A revised tool for collection of cash activities was presented by OCHA. Due to the difficulty in collecting information on cash activities through the sectors, partners agreed to use the new template to collect information on cash activities for the month of May and June. OCHA to share revised reporting template Information on cash will be collected directly from partners for the month of May and June Each partners will send update/information by 5th of every month Next Meeting Partners agreed to revert the frequency of meeting to once in three weeks. CWG meeting will hold once in three weeks Next meeting will hold on Wednesday19 July 2017