Migrants to receive EU funds via Turkey's Red Crescent

The Emergency Social Safety Net (ESSN) project, financed with 348 million euros by the EU and its member states under the Facility for Refugees in Turkey, will provide cash transfers to debit cards to cover the everyday needs of the most vulnerable refugee families taking shelter outside of camps in Turkey. 

The ESSN is part of the 3 billion euros made available by the EU and its member states under the Facility for Refugees in Turkey to provide assistance to refugees and host communities in Turkey. 

As of October, monthly cash transfers to electronic cards will be given to refugees in need across Turkey, EU officials told Hürriyet Daily News. Every family will hold one card which will provide a transfer of 100 Turkish Liras per person, per month. Refugees will be able to spend the money for their basic needs, such as food, shelter and transport, without any restrictions. It’s planned to have a conditional cash transfer for education.


For out-of-camp refugees

Families will apply to Turkish institutions for the card, as the database of the Turkish Family and Social Policy Ministry will serve to determine neglected and underserved out-of-camp refugees. 

The Turkish Red Crescent will implement the project in partnership with the European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO), the World Food Programme and the Family and Social Policy Ministry. 

The project will build upon existing voucher schemes and the expertise of the Family and Social Policy Ministry under the coordination of the Turkish National Disaster Management Authority (AFAD). Turkey’s Integrated Social Assistance Information System (ISAIS) will serve to integrate the ESSN with government systems.


Turkish NGOs are ‘only subcontractors’ 

Some 652 million euros has been contracted, out of which some 467 million euros has been disbursed, as part of the EU’s commitment of 3 billion euros to provide assistance to refugees, according to EU officials. The total allocated for implementation under the Facility for Refugees in Turkey on humanitarian and non-humanitarian actions stands at 2.239 million euros, they said.

However, no Turkish civil society organizations have been able to make contract with the EU for those projects, as they were merely subcontractors, since Turkish NGOs are not registered with the bloc, EU officials said. Only IMPR Humanitarian has applied for registration so far, they noted.