Towards Adaptive Social Protection in Vanuatu: Lessons from a humanitarian cash transfer program in Sanma Province
This report aims to highlight how cash transfers are a social protection tool that can enhance the capacity of local communities in Vanuatu to cope with large and wide-spread shocks.
In April 2020, just two weeks after COVID-19 caused the closure of its borders, Vanuatu was hit by Tropical Cyclone (TC) Harold. The province of Sanma was the worst affected, with 53,344 people impacted. In the absence of a social protection program with a social registry of those most in need, humanitarian assistance was fundamental in providing support and relief to affected households.
As part of this humanitarian assistance, a multi-purpose Cash Transfer Program (CTP) was established to assist 3,745 vulnerable families in Sanma, Shefa, and Tafea, disbursing VT 262,150,000 (approx. US$2,364,907). The CTP was implemented by local and international Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), and led by Oxfam Vanuatu between October 2020 and May 2021, with the support of the Australian Humanitarian Partnership and other donors.
This evaluation finds that the program was an effective tool to help vulnerable households accelerate their recovery from both the physical and economic impacts of the dual shocks, demonstrating the potential future role of social protection programs in times of disasters or shocks.