On October 1, 2025, AVSI Foundation hosted yet another insightful webinar on “Exploring Cash Transfers in a Graduation Programme–What We Did and What We Learnt.” The webinar marked the third episode of a webinar series that accentuate challenges that AVSI Foundation is addressing through its implementation of graduation programmes such as the SMILES project.
Introduction to the Graduation Approach
A brief overview on the Graduation Approach and its evolution and scale at AVSI Foundation, while placing more emphasis on the SMILES project and how its interventions have built sustainable livelihoods in extremely poor refugee and hosting communities in Kyaka II and Kyangwali Refugee Settlements was provided by Innocent Cwinyai, a Programme Manager and specialist in graduation programmes, economic strengthening, child protection, women empowerment, monitoring and evaluation.
“The SMILES project stands out as a unique graduation programme that integrates a strong market systems component alongside other interventions. It drives beyond traditional support by taking a deeper look at cash transfer activities—examining why this approach has proven to succeed in improving the lives of extremely poor households, how it is implemented, and the positive impact it creates,” stated Innocent Cwinyai.
Cash Transfers in the SMILES Project Context
The project implemented two complementary cash transfer models:
- Consumption Support: Monthly cash transfers of USD 4 (UGX 13,000) per person for eight months, to ensure food security and stabilise household consumption.
- Asset Transfer: A one-time USD 240 (UGX 825,000) grant combined with business training and coaching to launch income-generating activities.
This was supported by digital literacy coaching, fraud prevention sensitisation, and post-distribution monitoring, to enable transparency and continuous adaptation.
“Cash transfers provided households with the stability to focus on learning, saving, and planning their futures.” – Ruth Ninsiima, the project’s Economic Inclusion Advisor.
Process Monitoring and Key Outcomes
The SMILES project experience revealed that cash is a powerful catalyst when paired with coaching, training, and accountability systems;
- 85–98% of households met food needs and achieved balanced diets.
- 94.7% started businesses and 98% diversified livelihoods.
- 94.4% increased productive assets and household resilience.
“Process monitoring simply supported with tracking progress, identifying bottlenecks while ensuring equality, quality and equity in delivering services such as cash aided timely decision making for adaptation.” “We saw immediate gains in food security, but the real success was that the households moved from survival to savings and enterprise.” presented Joseph Irumba, the Monitoring Evaluation Accountability and Learning Advisor at AVSI Foundation.
Panel Discussion and Conclusion
The moderator and the panellists responded to questions pertaining how the cash transfers and the process monitoring reinforced project implementation while aiding it to achieve its goal of supporting extremely poor communities to become self-reliant and resilient.
Key takeaways:
- Clear targeting and transparent transfer mechanisms build trust.
- Combining cash with skills, coaching, and Village Saving and Loans Association accelerates self-reliance.
- Accountability and fraud awareness safeguard programme integrity.
- Well-sequenced cash transfers lay a strong foundation for long-term resilience.
An introduction of the fourth episode of this webinar series that will discuss social and gender norms shift: innovations, results, and lessons from the SMILES project was made. (REGISTER HERE)
(Click HERE for links to the Episode 3 webinar presentation and video recording)