TRCS introduces cash support to disaster victims

Tanzania Red Cross Society shifts from item- based Humanitarian aid to cash based aid , which aimed at helping victims of disaster to cover costs of their own basic needs. Tanzania Red Cross Society has been working  hand to hand with the government since its introduction through the disaster department under prime ministers office, to tame disaster –related humanitarian effects.

Launching the programme in Dar es salaam yesterday , the organisation said that the introduction of the system was to go in line with changing the humanitarian tactics around the globe.

TRCS acting general Secretary ,Renatus Mkaruka explained that the society deemed that giving assistance like food ,mattress ,bed sheets  and others may not cover all needs but to provide cash humanitarian in order to fulfill their needs. Mkaruka said that;” we found that we can give the victims the iteams but sometimes they even don’t have money to pay for school fees of their children’s  after the disaster or needs that we actually cant know ”

Mkaruka  went on arguing that supply of items have been more costly than transferring money to the victims .”Item-based assistance will require us to do procurement , make arrangement for transportation and other procedures  that cost us time and money ’’.

Now TRCS has entered with into an agreement with NMB Bank , which has set up special Data base from which the money to the victims  will be transferred. This programme will be piloted  into two wards  of Tandale  and Kigogo in Dar es salaam before moving into other regions .