As winter approaches, the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) in Jordan has started the process of distributing one-off winter cash assistance for refugees across the country.
This year, UNHCR Jordan aims to reach almost 400,000 Syrian refugees (around 96,000 families) and 55,000 non-Syrians (17,500 families) with vital cash assistance to help them meet urgent needs as the cold season begins, according to a statement from the refugee agency.
The cash is intended to cover the four coldest months of winter, and the average amount of cash varies from $260 for a single person ($66 per month) to $440 for a family of 7 ($110 per month).
In November, winter cash assistance will be distributed to approximately 60,000 refugee families in order to allow them to make purchases before the onset of cold weather.
Funds permitting, UNHCR will add additional families in December.
After receiving an SMS alerting them that their cash assistance is ready, refugees living in towns and cities will be able to collect their money at Cairo-Amman Bank ATMs using UNHCR’s fraud-proof biometric iris-scanning system, according to the statement.
In Zaatari and Azraq camps, 113,773 refugees will receive their assistance directly through the Norwegian Refugee Council, UNHCR’s partner for basic needs, the statement said.
