©InfoDespite her challenging circumstances – living in an overcrowded camp which sprang up after Haiti's earthquake – Demitrus Remercia has a big smile.
Demitrus has just received a British Red Cross voucher that entitles her to a cash grant of around £160. She can collect the money by going to one of the many transfer bank points across Port-au-Prince.
“I am very happy today. This has given me hope,” Demitrus says, as she picks up her voucher.
Cash distributions
All residents of Automeca camp, where Demitrus is living, are receiving the cash grant. The majority of grants are being distributed via mobile phone text messages; however the voucher system is being used for those who don’t have a phone.
The process is simple: join the queue at the Red Cross tent near the entrance to the camp, check your name is on the list with the Haitian Red Cross volunteers, and sign for your voucher, using a thumb print for those who do not know how to write.
Approximately 250 families are receiving money via the vouchers and almost 4,000 via text messages.
Buying food
Demitrus has very immediate plans for the money – she needs to feed her family. “I live with five people in a tent, including my two children who are seven and two years old,” she says.
The British Red Cross finds that distributing cash rather than food is generally far more beneficial for communities affected by disaster. It means people can choose for themselves what their priorities for recovery are and it also helps to stimulate the local economy.
Demitrus says: “The first thing I am going to do with this money is buy food so we can all eat. After that, I will try to send my children to school, and share the money with other people who are homeless.”
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