- Countries
- Africa
- Algeria
- Benin
- Burkina Faso
- Burundi
- Cameroon
- Central African Republic
- Chad
- Congo, Democratic Republic Of
- Congo, Republic Of
- Côte D'Ivoire
- Djibouti
- Egypt
- Ethiopia
- Ghana
- Guinea
- Guinea-Bissau
- Kenya
- Lesotho
- Liberia
- Libya
- Madagascar
- Malawi
- Mali
- Mauritania
- Mozambique
- Namibia
- Niger
- Rwanda
- São Tomé And Principe
- Senegal
- Sierra Leone
- Somalia
- South Sudan
- Sudan
- Swaziland
- Tanzania, United Republic Of
- The Gambia
- Togo
- Tunisia
- Uganda
- Zambia
- Zimbabwe
- Americas
- Asia
- Middle East
- Africa
- Our work
- Hunger
- Get Involved
- News
Cash and Vouchers
WFP delivers hundreds of thousands of tons of food each year, but, increasingly, we give hungry people cash or vouchers to buy food for themselves.
Cash transfers provide money to people who are struggling to provide food for their families; vouchers can be redeemed for food items or “spent” in selected shops. They are used to tackle hunger in places where there is plenty of food in the marketplace but where poor people cannot afford to buy it.
Cash and vouchers can sometimes cut down the costs of transporting and storing food. They benefit the local economy, because beneficiaries spend the money in local markets. People often prefer cash and vouchers to traditional food assistance, because they offer more choice and variety.
WFP is using innovative ways to deliver the assistance, such as scratch cards or “e-vouchers” delivered to mobile phones by text message.
Cash and Vouchers - Stories
New Food Vouchers Welcomed By Syrian Refugees In Zaatari
In Jordan’s biggest refugee camp, WFP has begun a shift in the way it provides food to families who have fled the conflict in Syria. Instead of traditional food rations, refugees are being introduced to vouchers, which allow them to start buying their own food. With products like cheese and eggs now more accessible, the initial reaction has been enthusiastic.
WFP Cash Transfer In Mali: New Hope For Displaced People And Host Families
The conflict in Mali has displaced more than 330,000 people and put huge pressure on vulnerable host communities. Having provided basic food commodities to the populations affected by both conflict and a food crisis, WFP is now entering a new phase of its assistance by providing financial support.
WFP Provides Food Voucher Assistance To Newly Displaced People In North Kordofan
Only two weeks after people in South Kordofan fled violence to villages in North Kordofan, WFP reached around 33,000 displaced people with food vouchers. WFP and the Sudanese Red Crescent Society distributed the vouchers in 35 locations in three localities.
Malawi: Poor Farmers Get Cash Through Mobile Phones
With food prices high in Malawi's markets, many families are struggling to find enough to eat. A new programme by WFP is sending cash to the most vulnerable people through their mobile phones. This assistance enables them to buy more food and so keep hunger and malnutrition at bay.
Cash and Vouchers - Videos
