Mapping the user journeys of cash recipients in Ukraine

Cash Barometer
Written By GTS

Photo: Mikhail Volkov

Cash-based programming has been a key component of the humanitarian response in Ukraine since the escalation of the conflict into a full-scale war in February 2022. In 2022 alone, 5.6 million people were reached with multi-purpose cash assistance (MPCA), making it the largest humanitarian cash assistance programme in history. Thousands more are being reached by other types of cash transfers from humanitarian organisations and through the government's social protection system. 

Ground Truth Solutions, in collaboration with the Collaborative Cash Delivery Network (CCD) and funded by the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC), has been implementing a project since January 2023 with the aim of documenting aid applicants' and recipients' experiences of humanitarian cash transfer programmes and government-led social protection programmes. The project also aims to collaboratively develop and facilitate the implementation of recommendations by aid providers to enable a process of real-time learning from recipients' experience and feedback. 

In collaboration with our research partners Open Space Works Cooperative and Kyiv International Institute of Sociology, we conducted three rounds research with aid applicants and recipients, and key informants involved in the provision or coordination of cash assistance. Qualitative interviews led to the creation “user journeys” that allow the reader to engage with the personal story of different profiles of cash recipients. These were complemented by a nation-wide representative phone survey, and a series of community workshops to gauge people’s recommendations for improving cash assistance. 

To ensure that our research is appropriate to the context and relevant for cash providers, we co-designed all rounds of research with key stakeholders. Research findings were discussed with aid providers in a series of workshops, which resulted in concrete recommendations on how to improve cash programmes based on community views.  

We are continuing this practice since we kicked off another round of research in October 2024. This time, we are using a more participatory methodology, for the user journeys to be created by affected people themselves.  

Donors

Disasters Emergency Committee

Partners

Collaborative Cash Delivery Network

Kyiv International Institute of Sociology

Open Space Works Ukraine

GTS
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