First, UNHCR and WFP each reviewed all the appeals that were submitted to their organizations. They reviewed the information in the appeals, as well as the case file of those that appealed, to prioritize families based on their capacities to meet their most basic survival needs.
Next, the two organizations came together to compare these case priorities and to make a final decision on which families would be prioritized for monthly assistance, and which would not. As neither UNHCR nor WFP have sufficient funding to help all families that want help, extremely tough decisions need to be made, and only those families that need this assistance to survive have been prioritized for such assistance.
If you reported changes in your family circumstances in your appeal that were not reflected in your UNHCR case file, the UNHCR registration team should have contacted you to make an appointment to update your file.
If you reported changes in your address and/or living conditions in your appeal, UNHCR’s contractor, Mindset, should havecontacted you to arrange a call or in-person home visit to update your information in the UNHCR case file.
If that has not happened as expected, call the UNHCR Helpline (064008000) and select the ‘Cash Assistance’ option from the menu via the automated response system to ask about your status.
UNHCR and WFP can only make decisions on the information that is in your case file, including from the home visits. It is the refugee’s responsibility to make sure that their case file with UNHCR is accurate and up to date, and that their home visits are completed every two years. As UNHCR and WFP communicate with refugees largely via SMS, it is critical that UNHCR and WFP have your current cell phone number on file.
UNHCR and WFP have limited resources for their monthly assistance programs. This means that they cannot help everyone that asks for this assistance. The agencies must prioritize those families in greatest need of this type of assistance for their very survival.
Please not that home visits are required for anyone requesting monthly cash assistance from UNHCR or monthly food assistance from WFP.
You might be contacted to arrange a home visit assessment, depending on your situation. The assessment might be a short phone call or a longer in-person visit to your home.
What does the visit include?
- The home visit involves our contractor, Mindset, asking you questions about your family members, your family’s ability to make ends meet, what your living situation is like, etc.
- A phone-based home visit usually lasts about 20 minutes.
- An in-person home visit usually takes longer—about 45 minutes. Please note that all family members must be present during the pre-scheduled home visit. Our contractor, Mindset, will contact you as needed to set up an in-person home visit appointment.
It is critical that UNHCR and WFP have your correct cell phone number. If the phone number that UNHCR or WFP has on file is incorrect or outdated, you may risk being reported as “unreachable” or “refused the visit”. This means that your appeal for monthly assistance will not be considered.