Beryl Cash Assistance Programme to support Hurricane Recovery

The Beryl Cash Assistance programme through the Ministry of Labour and Social Security's Rebuild Jamaica Initiative, the World Food Programme (WFP) is pleased to announce that it is providing Beryl cash assistance to people most affected by Hurricane Beryl. — The Beryl Cash Assistance programme through the Ministry of Labour and Social Security’s Rebuild Jamaica Initiative, the World Food Programme (WFP) is pleased to announce that it is providing Beryl cash assistance to people most affected by Hurricane Beryl.

BERYL CASH – The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), in collaboration with Jamaica’s Ministry of Labour and Social Security (MLSS), has launched a Beryl cash assistance programme to extend support to those most affected by Hurricane Beryl.

Summary of the Beryl Cash Assistance Programme

What is the Cash Assistance Programme?
In partnership with the Ministry of Labour and Social Security’s Rebuild Jamaica Initiative, the World Food Programme (WFP) is pleased to announce that it is providing Beryl cash assistance to people most affected by Hurricane Beryl, which impacted Jamaica on 3 July 2024.

Who receives the Beryl Cash Assistance?
People who were most affected in all parishes can receive assistance, but those in parishes that were worst hit by the hurricane are a priority.

How will it work?
If you receive a SMS Text message, you must collect your cash at any Western Union location. You will need to take the following with: The MTCN code in the test message, your Tax Registration Number (TRN) and a government-issued photo ID.

What do you need to do?
• Check your phone regularly: Make sure your phone is charged and regularly check for new messages.
• Bring your photo ID and TRN: You will need to show the MTCN code, TRN and a valid government-issued photo identification at Western Union to collect your cash.
• Follow the instructions: Carefully read the text message and follow the steps to get your cash from the nearest Western Union agent. Visit https://gkmsonline.com/gkms-agent- location/ to find the Western Union closest to you or call 876-383-0869 for further
assistance.

If you have any questions, please get in touch at [email protected] or 876-383-0869 or 876-573-4932.

The Beryl Cash Assistance Programme targets 11,500 people whose homes were damaged or destroyed by Hurricane Beryl in early July. The programme will provide relief and support to families in their recovery, ensuring access to food, water and other essential needs. Families with children, elderly people and persons with disabilities will be prioritized.

“WFP is committed to its partnership with the Government of Jamaica to support people impacted by Hurricane Beryl. We are happy to know that this cash assistance will help families to meet their most essential needs and rebuild their lives,” said Brian Bogart, Country Director of the WFP Caribbean Multi-Country Office.

Beryl, the first hurricane of the 2024 season and the strongest July hurricane on record, made landfall in Grenada and St. Vincent and the Grenadines, leaving widespread devastation in its path, before moving westwards across the Caribbean and hitting Jamaica.

Participants will receive their cash assistance through money transfer services over two months. The amount they receive will depend on the household size. For instance, one to two persons will receive US$120 (JMD $20,000) per month; three to five persons will receive US$240 (JMD $36,000) per month, and six to more persons will receive US$340 (JMD $50,000) per month.

“I am deeply grateful for the swift and generous support from the World Food Programme in providing cash transfers to Jamaicans affected by Hurricane Beryl. This timely assistance will be instrumental in helping our communities recover and rebuild,” said Minister Pearnel Charles Jr., Minister of Labour and Social Security.

“Partnerships like these are essential in ensuring that vulnerable populations receive the support they need during times of crisis. Through the Rebuild Jamaica initiative, the strong collaboration between the Ministry of Labour and Social Security and WFP is a testament to our shared commitment to the well-being of our people.”

In the wake of Beryl’s impact on Jamaica, WFP provided emergency generators to the Government to address widespread power outages, deployed the Emergency Telecommunications Cluster or ETC –a global network of organizations that provide emergency communications services—to re-establish internet connectivity in the worst affected areas, and provided emergency logistics.

The Beryl Cash Assistance Programme is made possible through the generous support of the Government of Canada, the UN Central Emergency Relief Fund (CERF), UK Aid from the UK Government and USAID Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (BHA).In addition, as part of the Canada-CARICOM Climate Adaptation Fund, Jamaica has increased its Excess Rainfall and Tropical Cyclone insurance policies with the Catastrophic Risk Insurance Facility (CCRIF SPC). WFP is helping the government to implement additional cash transfer programmes for people using a portion of the payouts from those policies.

The United Nations World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian organization saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of climate change.