Cash-for-Shelter Response in Türkiye: A Rapid, Flexible, and Dignified Approach to Recovery

Following the earthquakes in Türkiye, rapid and flexible responses were essential. SARD chose a cash-for-shelter approach for its speed, adaptability, and capacity to address post-disaster challenges while ensuring ownership and dignity for affected people. Cash-based shelter interventions provide immediate relief by allowing families to purchase materials and hire local craftsmen to begin repairs without waiting for external assistance. The Global Shelter Cluster (GSC) had highlighted the speed and adaptability of cash transfers, and SARD’s implementation underscored their effectiveness in post-earthquake recovery.

“I am 53 years old and I am the father of 5 children. I live in the village of Agveren. I make a living from daily agricultural work. The house I live in was affected by the earthquake and cracks appeared in my house. I was very anxious about renovating my house due to lack of budget. It affected me and my family a lot." - Hüseyin, Agveren vilage

SARD Cash Response in Türkiye:

• Emegency Cash: SARD introduced cash assistance just six weeks after the earthquake.

• Light Damage Repairs: SARD facilitated self-help repairs through restricted cash transfers (via IBAN/bank accounts).

Pre-Conditions Met for Effective Cash Response:

SARD ensured critical pre-conditions were met before adopting the cash-based response.

• Market Availability: Local markets and craftsmen were available to support the recovery.

• Beneficiary Preference: A rapid assessment showed the affected populations preferred cash assistance over in-kind aid.

"I am 65 years old and I live alone at home. About 4 months ago, my wife passed away. As an elderly and lonely person, life is very difficult for me. Our house was damaged in the earthquake, cracks appeared, and paint spills occurred.  Insects and scorpions began to emerge from the cracks. The scorpion that came out of these cracks bit my daughter. My wife’s death and the earthquake affected my life very badly… When the SARD team first arrived, I was very emotional. The team helped me a lot in this process. Now my house is clean, beautiful and much more suitable for someone who lives alone. I would like to express my endless thanks to those who provided me with this help.” - Mehmet, Şerefli village 

Cash-for-shelter was included in SARD’s comprehensive approach. Empowering Recovery, One Family at a Time.

Our comprehensive approach combined shelter repair through cash grants with livelihood restoration and psychosocial support. This holistic strategy not only enabled people to repair their homes but also helped them restart their lives. By focusing on a population that was not initially prioritized, we complemented government efforts, filling gaps and ensuring a broader, more inclusive recovery.

"I am 37 years old. I am a mother of two children. My husband’s parents live with us. Our house was damaged in the earthquake, large cracks appeared in the walls. When we reentered the house after the earthquake, we saw these cracks and we were very scared, so we could not enter the house. We decided to stay in the container. We  just renovated our house with the help we received from SARD. Cracks were repaired, the house was painted. We can use our own house again because we no longer see the cracks. We started to return to our life before the earthquake." - Hanife, Kuştepe Village

Advocating for Cash Response:

We have been actively sharing our lessons learned and advocating for a cash response in the humanitarian sector. Today, during the Global Shelter Cluster's Shelter and Cash and Markets Community of Practice (CoP) call, SARD Advisor Graziella Ito-Pellegri shared the organization’s experience with cash-for-shelter interventions in post-earthquake Türkiye.

“SARD is committed to advocating for cash-based approaches, and by sharing these valuable experiences with global actors, we hope to influence inclusive, dignified, and efficient recovery efforts in future crises.” - SARD Advisor Graziella Ito-Pellegri

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