Country pages
Cash in Türkiye
Learning from the Turkish Red Crescent’s comprehensive humanitarian cash programmes in Türkiye
The Turkish Red Crescent (Türk Kızılay) has been at the forefront of large-scale humanitarian cash programming for the last decade. Its sector-leading Kızılaykart Platform enables simultaneous implementation of multiple cash assistance programmes, through the ‘Kızılaykart’ (debit card).
A series of cash assistance programmes are currently supporting vulnerable adults and children living under Temporary Protection, International Protection (applicant status and status holder) or Humanitarian Residence Permit in Türkiye, along with those affected by the 2023 Kahramanmaraş earthquakes.
Find further information and resources on the Kızılaykart cash-based assistance programmes here: (EN) (TR)
From 2020 to 2023 the Turkish Red Crescent and the IFRC, with funding from the European Union, implemented the Emergency Social Safety Net (ESSN) – which was the largest humanitarian cash programme in the world.
Via the ESSN, more than 1.5 million refugees living in Türkiye received regular monthly cash assistance, enabling people to decide for themselves how to cover their essential needs such as food, rent, medicine, transport and other bills. In 2023 the programme was handed over to the Turkish Ministry of Family and Social Services, who continue implementing the now renamed Social Safety Net (SSN) programme in partnership with the Turkish Red Crescent.
Click here to access the IFRC Go Platform Dashboard for Turkiye
ESSN Learning Exchange
In December 2023 the IFRC and Türk Kızılay organised an Emergency Social Safety Net (ESSN) Learning Exchange event, with the support of the Cash Hub. The event, held in-person in Ankara and attended by remote participants online, was a part of proceedings marking the formal conclusion and handover of the ESSN.
The overall aim of the Learning Exchange was to use experience from ESSN implementation to contribute to the broader body of knowledge on humanitarian emergency cash and social protection programming.
Key sessions looked at the ESSN journey since its inception in 2016; community engagement and accountability (CEA) in large-scale CVA programming; innovative uses of data supporting ESSN design and implementation; programme adaptability and shock responsiveness; the value of positive campaigning via lessons from the ESSN’s unique story telling project; and at enablers for the successful implementation of a large-scale nexus programme.
Find out more here
ESSN Learning Hub: all the key resources produced by Türk Kızılay and the IFRC
ESSN monthly reports: key programmatic highlights
Kahramanmaraş Earthquake response: Find the latest resources
After the earthquake: Rapid Market Mapping and Minimum Expenditure Basket (MEB) analysis
9 November 2020
Emergency Social Safety Net (ESSN) – monthly report November 2020 (Issue n.8)
Type:
InfographicOrganization:
Turkish Red Crescent (Türk Kızılay)Short overview of programmatic highlights and achievements, as well as information on the use of cash and recipients in Turkey where the ESSN programme has been supporting about 1.8 million refugees a month.
22 October 2020
ESSN Rumour Tracking & Management System: Vol. 1 (April – October 2020)
Type:
LearningOrganization:
ECHO, IFRC, Turkish Red Crescent (Türk Kızılay)This report captures questions and feedback about the rumours with regards to the Emergency Social Safety Net project. Information has been gathered from eligible and ineligible populations, which will create better understanding of the information gaps, needs and rumours and ultimately, help to address them before they can do any harm.
9 October 2020
Emergency Social Safety Net (ESSN) – monthly report October 2020 (Issue n.7)
Type:
InfographicOrganization:
Turkish Red Crescent (Türk Kızılay)Short overview of programmatic highlights and achievements, as well as information on the use of cash and recipients in Turkey where the ESSN programme has been supporting about 1.8 million refugees a month.
9 September 2020
Emergency Social Safety Net (ESSN) – monthly report September 2020 (Issue n.6)
Type:
InfographicOrganization:
Turkish Red Crescent (Türk Kızılay)Short overview of programmatic highlights and achievements, as well as information on the use of cash and recipients in Turkey where the ESSN programme has been supporting about 1.7 million refugees a month.
15 August 2020
Adapting to new normal during COVID-19
Type:
InfographicOrganization:
Turkish Red Crescent (Türk Kızılay)Covid-19 restrictions are a blocker for Monitoring and Evaluation activities. As a replacement to household visits and community meetups, the Turkish Red Crescent needed an innovative solution to continue Focus Group Discussions (FGDs). That solution came in the form of remote and virtual FGDs through video calls to maintain the activities running amid covid-19 while keeping the beneficiaries and staff safe.
9 August 2020
Emergency Social Safety Net (ESSN) – monthly report August 2020 (Issue n.5)
Type:
InfographicOrganization:
Turkish Red Crescent (Türk Kızılay)Short overview of programmatic highlights and achievements, as well as information on the use of cash and recipients in Turkey where the ESSN programme has been supporting about 1.7 million refugees a month.
Page 4 of 7