Improving the agency and means of Rakhine State's crisis-affected populations

Phase 1: Research on the potential for cash-based interventions in Rakhine State Leveraging its global and local expertise as a leading agency in the field of Cash-Based Programming (CBP), Mercy Corps will conduct research to determine the potential for cash-based interventions in Rakhine State. In addition to a review of past and current programs and “standards” of the cash working group, Mercy Corps will specifically look at the formal and informal systems and processes through which cash can be disbursed to displaced and/or disaster-affected populations (including traditional remittances mechanisms such as “hundi”, mobile cash transfer, etc), with attention to the key stakeholders, market access, and risks associate to it. The research component will include elements of action-research through which certain options and scenarios will be tested to inform subsequent program design and implementation. Phase 2: Cash-based programming in Rakhine State Based on the results of the research, Mercy Corps will work with local partners and engage public and private partners to design and implement cash transfer interventions - including but not limited to unconditional cash transfers (UCT), cash for work (CFW) and loans for farmers. In doing so, Mercy Corps will put an important emphasis on 1) conflict sensitive programming, 2) the potential use of new technologies and 3) contributing to the emerging body of knowledge on CBP in Myanmar and thus strengthening information management.