The cash support programme for poor and vulnerable households has entered its sixth round starting July 25 through August 24, according to the Ministry of Social Affairs, Veterans and Youth Rehabilitation. The assistance will help impoverished people to fight Covid-19.

The ministry announced on July 24 that the fifth round of cash handouts had been completed. These funds helped 658,857 poor and impoverished households, or more than 2.6 million people, by providing over 117 billion riel ($29 million) in assistance.

Chhour Sopanha, director of the ministry’s social welfare department, said on July 25 that cash for the poor in the fifth round worked well as people were knowledgeable and officials clearly understood the problems.

“We have an additional 7,525 poor households for the sixth round. We are also worried about migrants in the sixth round. They have just returned home and they do not understand the cash programme. Social media groups are spreading false information, creating misunderstanding,” he said.

Sopanha said if people need assistance and have not yet received support from the government, they can apply to commune authorities.

According to the ministry, the government implemented the five rounds of cash handout programme from June 25, 2020, to July 24, 2021, spending more than 1,524 billion riel ($381.08 million).

If the public finds any irregularities in the implementation of this cash programme, they can contact programme organisers in the commune or the municipal and provincial departments of social affairs and planning, or through the hotline at (092/015) 219 888.

Sopanha urged all poor and vulnerable households to respect the government’s health measures to prevent the spread of the disease by implementing the “three dos and three don’ts”, especially when receiving the cash through agents of electronic payment service providers Wing nationwide.