Cash for Herders Projects 2002-2006 Mongolia
Between 1999 and 2002 14,000 herder families lost all their livestock due to ‘dzuds’, severe snow disasters followed and worsened by summer droughts. The Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) partnered with the National Emergency Management Agency, Mongolia and responded with an innovative approach, the ‘Cash for Herders’ Projects. These cash transfer projects were a relatively new approach to humanitarian assistance in emergency and rehabilitation situations. This approach assumes that herders, knowing best what they lack, are able to prioritize their needs and are people with dignity, who do not want to be recognized as aid recipients. Through bank transfers, over 7,600 herder families received a one-off cash contribution of CHF 220. In total SDC has spent CHF 2.16 million (1.8 million USD) in
· Gobi-Altai: This project implemented in 2002 and contributed to the survival of at least of 12’000 persons (about 1’800 families) and improving their stay in rural setting during the winter 2002/2003. The project provided a 1-fold cash contributions to 3 categories throughout the province:
o 1'067 families who lost all animals received CHF 273.
o 786 families who were left with less than 50 animals received CHF 95.
o 155 poor families (hardship cases) received CHF 95.
o For further information see: Fact sheet CfH Gobi-Altai 2002, CfH Gobi-Altai 2002
· Zavkhan: This project implemented in 2003 and contributed to the survival of at least of 14’000 persons (about 2’382 families) and improving their stay in rural setting during the winter 2003/2004. The project provided a 1-fold cash contributions to 3 categories in 24 soums (village) in the province:
o 2'208 families who lost all animals received USD 175.
o 174 families who had been in hardship received USD 175.
o 7 small projects supporting common interests in social assistance, education, and livestock USD 3’550 on average.
o For further information see: Factsheet CfH Zavkhan 2003, CfH Zavkhan external review
· Dundgobi: This project implemented in 2004 and contributed to the survival of at least of 6000 persons (about 1’492 families) and improving their stay in rural setting during the winter 2004/2005. The project provided a 1-fold cash contributions to 2 categories in 15 soums (village) in the province:
o 2'208 families who lost all animals received CHF 165.
o 174 families who had been in hardship received CHF 140.
o For further information see: Factsheet CfH Dundgobi 2004, CfH Dundgobi internal review, CfH Dundgobi Monitoring Report 2004-2005
· Khovd: This project implemented in 2005-2006 and contributed to the survival of at least of 5000 persons (about 1’371 families) and improving their stay in rural setting during the winter 2004/2005. The project provided a 1-fold cash contributions to 2 categories in 15 soums (village) in the province:
o 1’371 families who lost all animals received CHF 200.
o Small Projects’ component of CfH IV with fund of CHF 55.000 supported initiatives of small entrepreneurs to gain additional and alternative income at local level.
o For further information see: Fact sheet CfH Khovd 2005,
