Building a more secure future: Zainab’s story
Zainab Sani, a mother from Zango community in Zango Local Government Area of Katsina State in northwestern Nigeria, faced significant challenges in providing for her family, particularly her child, Umaru Sani, who was experiencing malnutrition. With limited financial resources and rising economic pressures, meeting the family’s daily needs had become a constant struggle.
Providing enough food, covering household expenses, and ensuring that her child received the necessary care were major concerns. Like many families facing economic hardship, Zainab had limited opportunities to earn an income, making it difficult to consistently provide for her children and improve their living conditions.
The situation placed considerable pressure on her as she tried to balance Umaru’s needs with caring for the entire family. She needed support that could help her address immediate needs while also creating opportunities to strengthen her family’s resilience.
Multipurpose Cash Assistance: a new opportunity to rebuild
Through Multipurpose Cash Assistance (MPCA) provided by Malteser International with funding from ECHO, Zainab received financial support that gave her greater flexibility to respond to her family’s most pressing needs.
The cash assistance enabled her to purchase food and other essential household items, easing some of the financial pressure she had been experiencing. It also helped her better provide for Umaru’s nutritional needs while caring for her other children.
Beyond meeting immediate household needs, Zainab was able to use part of the support to start a small local perfume business, creating an opportunity to earn an income and work towards greater financial independence. This gave her a way to support her household beyond the immediate period of assistance.
With this new source of income, Zainab has an opportunity to better provide for her children, cover essential household expenses, and work towards a more stable future.
Looking ahead: restoring dignity and building resilience
For Zainab, the cash assistance support meant more than financial assistance. It gave her the flexibility to address urgent household needs while also taking steps to improve her family’s economic situation.
Her experience shows how flexible cash assistance can help vulnerable households decide for themselves how best to address their most pressing priorities, from buying food and covering essential expenses to investing in small income-generating activities.
With support from Malteser International and ECHO, Zainab has taken an important step towards improving her family’s living conditions and strengthening her ability to care for her children.
Challenges remain, but the opportunity to generate her own income gives Zainab and her family greater prospects for a more secure future.
Zainab’s story highlights how timely and flexible humanitarian assistance can help families meet immediate needs, protect their dignity, and take steps towards rebuilding their livelihoods.
(October 2026)
