When Cash Can't Wait: Reimagining Payment Distribution in Sudan

Three years ago, conflict erupted in Sudan, and its toll continues to be devastating. The crisis has caused profound human suffering and dismantled the systems households once relied on to absorb shocks. The financial sector has been hit hard: liquidity has dried up, infrastructure destroyed, and social protection mechanisms unraveled. Humanitarian actors have scaled up cash assistance, but face serious obstacles: limited liquidity, fragmented financial service providers, and complex payment processes. This has resulted in accumulated delays of up to 200 days in delivering cash transfers in the midst of a severe humanitarian crisis. In this episode, we explore an emerging solution: the Shared Distribution Network (SEND), designed by CGAP and the Cash Consortium of Sudan to cut delays and improve cost-effectiveness.  Featured Voices:   Rayan Nimir, Policy and Advocacy Advisor, Collective Sudan (formerly, Cash Consortium of Sudan) William Cook, Senior Financial Sector Specialist, CGAP    Hiba Al-Madani, a cash recipient and small business owner in Sudan   Producer: Lamis Daoud, CGAP External Affairs Officer  Audio Editor and Sound Producer: Samantha Malhotra, World Bank Group Interactive Media Program   Executive Producer: Jahda Swanborough, CGAP Communications Lead   © CGAP/World Bank, 2026   Special thanks to Sara Murray from CGAP for her expertise and insights that brought this episode to life, the Cash Collective for conducting the interview with Hiba Al-Madani, and Samah Salman for dubbing Hiba’s contribution.  Listen and subscribe for free on your favorite platform. To learn more, visit www.cgap.org. If you have any feedback, connect with us at [email protected].