The programme is set to help people recently displaced by conflict, returnees, host communities and people living in areas which have recently experienced violence. Each beneficiary household is set to be issued with a contactless card through which money is distributed for use at merchants.
The system is provided by sQuid, a company operates through its own smartcards and payment terminals to present an end-to-end solution, built on internet technologies. Electronic value is sent to the smartcard via the terminal, enabling local collection and spend without the need for internet connection. sQuid users do not need a bank account.
The Mercy Corps programme is supported by UK Governments Department for International Development (DFID) and MasterCard Worldwide, with coordination support from UNICEF.
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