35-year-old Elena* was recovering from COVID-19, which adversely affected her for over a month, when she received a call she was eagerly expecting: she would receive cash assistance to meet her family’s basic needs for 3 months.
Elena and her family left Nicaragua in 2021, amid a socio-political crisis, and sought asylum in Costa Rica.
Throughout 2022, with EU humanitarian support, 3,000 people seeking asylum in Costa Rica – including Elena – received cash assistance from UNHCR.
According to their family size and the region where they live, they can receive amounts between €145 and €420.
“It helped me a lot, so I will always be grateful for it,” says Elena.
“Cash aid helps to survive the first months, reducing the risk of negative coping strategies,” says Liesbeth Schockaert, EU humanitarian expert in Central America.
*Names changed for protection