Bangladesh Cash Working Group

BANGLADESH CASH WORKING GROUP

23 July 2015

MEETING MINUTES

. Venue: Oxfam office

. Participant agency: IFRC, WFP, German Red Cross, bKash, Save the Children, Food Security Cluster, CARE, Danish Refugee Council, Bangladesh Red Cross Society, ACF, Concern Universal, FAO, Dan Church Aid, Oxfam, Islamic Relief and Concern World Wide

I. Planning potential cash intervention in Cox's Bazar, Bandarban and Chittagong

The south eastern parts of Bangladesh had landslides and floods on 23 June, affecting 1.807 million people. According to the JNA findings, the communities need most assistance for food, livelihood and shelter.

The Food Security Cluster Coordinator presented strategic objectives, priority actions and coverage of the Joint Response Plan by the FSC, Early Recovery and Shelter Cluster. (Annex) With stable market conditions, cash transfer programmings are set to be the prime tool for response for food, livelihood and shelter assistance. (See below table.) Coordination among agencies was highly recommended by donor side, especially Dfid.

Discussion revolved around reducing the total target number duration of UCG and CFW. Tapan(ACF) suggested 2 months for UCG and 30 days for CFW. Bijoy(CWW) mentioned the need to switch to 500HH per union level to lower the total to be realistic with potential funding level. Siddiqul(WFP) emphasized the CFW should not cause conflict with normal livelihood options and continue through the lean season, which would turn the CFW to six months. Syed(WFP) questioned on setting the same livelihood grant for different locations, considering the different income activities. Eun reported that she checked with the Director General of Department of Disaster Management that the DDM would allow humanitarian agencies to increase the wage rate from 200tk in that regard. However, reflecting other project areas’ cash transfer programmings, 200tk was agreed upon as for 3,000tk for food consumption for household a month according to the FSC’s contingency plan.

Finally, participants agreed to go along the Joint Response Plan’s package. As for now, no agency is planning CTP with internal funding in the SE except Bangladesh Red Cross Society which gave 1,000tk to 1,000 HH in Bandurban and Cox’s.

1 Phase The Food Security Intervention Value Duration First 3 months Unconditional Cash Grant Tk.3,000/ 3 months month/HH 3-6 months Cash for work (45 days @ 200 BDT) Tk. 9,000/HH 3 months 0-9 months Cash grant for livelihood Tk. 8,000/HH 9 months

Phase Intervention Value Duration First 3 months Emergency Shelter Tk. 5,000/HH 3 months Emergency NFI Tk. 3,000/HH 3-9 months New Transitional Tk. 130,000/HH 6 months (totally damaged) 3-9 months Shelter repair (partially Tk. 20,000/month/HH 6 months damaged)

II. Updates on cash transfer programming in the country

- The latest cash transfer experience in the country including NW recovery projects

. NARRI consortium completed all the livelihood grant distribution to 7,844H and CFW in Gaibandha and Bogra. The suspended CFW in Islamic Relief would be replaced with cash grant due to the inundation. The delivery mechanism was all mobile transfer. Experience varied with mobile financial service providers; DBBL was reported to not meet the standards of service in some fields plus communication problem with Dhaka office. Bijoy reported DBBL got a contract for education grant disbursement and flood response was put aside. With additional 160,000 euro funding, the NARRI is going to implement the same set of assistance to new beneficiaries.

. DESHARI consortium completed 90% of recovery project except a few areas in Bogra. The reason for the delay was monsoon and issues with local authorities.

. WFP – The CfW works in Kurigram and Gaibandha district have been completed for the all upazilas as planned under WFP assistance except Sundarganj upazila of Gaibandha district. In Sundarganj upazila, due to some local conflict, the CfW activities could not be accomplished.

. BDRCS - 4,000tk livelihood grant, 4,000tk CFW and 18,000tk cash grant for shelter to 600HH.

2 III. Discussing next phase of the CWG

Following last month’s discussion on revising the CWG work plan, participants shared new areas for intervention. a. Studying the community’s reception of CTP on how it impacts people resilience and dignity

b. Strengthening the link with the Gov

c. Examining advantages/disadvantages on the remittance companies in the country

IV. Capacity building activity

A. Advanced training on cash transfer with Training of Trainers

Duration: 5 days, 26 – 30 July Registration closed. This training does not accept drop-in and requires full participation. For those who are interested to part in selected sessions should inform Eun beforehand to observe. Towards the end, training of trainer will be given to those identified as cash promoter who will be expected to be able to conduct basic level cash training.

Timing Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5 Sunday 26 July Monday 27 July Tuesday 28 July Wednesday 29 July Thursday 30 July 09:00 Module 1: ‘An Session 2.3: Session 3.4: Module 4: Session 5.1: 10:30 Introduction to Cash Sharing experiences Monitoring, The Role of Trainer Transfer Programming’ Interpreting the and learning Contingency Training and Session 1.1: impact on market Planning and Facilitation Methods Introductions and systems Preparedness exploring assumptions Session 4.1: Monitoring 10:30 – 11:00 Break 11:00 Session 1.2: Rationale Module 3: Selecting, Session 3.5: Session 4.2: Session 5.2: 13:00 and experience of CTP Designing and Design and Contingency planning Preparing to Train: Implementing CTPs implementation and preparedness Planning and Session 3.1: issues in CTP Coaching Criteria for response analysis 13:00 – 14:00 Lunch 14:00 Module 2: When to use Session 3.2: Session 3.6: Session 4.3: Session 5.3: 15:30 Cash Transfers? Delivery mechanisms Designing an Action planning Practical tips on Session 2.1: and new technology implementation plan setting up a CTP Assessing the feasibility applications training of CTP 15:30 – 16:00 Break 16:00 Session 2.2: Session 3:3: Session 3.7: Session 4.4: Session 5.4: 17:30 Risk analysis and Designing an Adult Learning Donor perspective: Mapping baseline mitigation measures implementation plan Principles Discussion with ECHO market systems Session 5.5: Action planning and

3 closing session

B. Pre-Crisis Emergency Market Mapping and Analysis Training

Date: 9th August – 14th, 6 days Registration: Currently accepting application. We encourage female members to join! Selected participants will be contacted on the 1st week of August.

The Pre-Crisis Market Mapping and Analysis training aims to help humanitarian and market development practitioners (1) map the functionality of critical market systems; (2) estimate the likely effect of a crisis on those markets; (3) determine whether markets can be used to deliver relief (i.e. through providing cash or vouchers or procuring items locally); and (4) help to inform risk mitigation measures. PCMMA was developed jointly by the International Rescue Committee (IRC) and Oxfam with the support of USAID/OFDA and ECHO.

Annex 1. Attendance