ONE and a half million non-standard workers on Monday started receiving the first of three LE500 monthly government grants. Affected by the coronavirus outbreak, workers who do not have a stable income are receiving the money in post offices and branches of the Agricultural Bank of Egypt. “Anything is better than nothing,” said Um Hani, 59, a cook who is now out of work after she was let go by her employee. A mother of four engaged to be married and providing for her elderly mother and father, Um Hani thinks the sum provided by the government will help support her family until she hopefully finds work. During a meeting held last week, the cabinet approved a regulatory mechanism for the disbursement of the money. Beneficiaries who registered their data at the Ministry of Manpower's official website up to 9 April were divided into groups. Each group will receive the money on one of four days allocated for the disbursement. The aim is to decrease overcrowding. Each recipient was due to receive a text message on his mobile phone 24 hours before the day set for the disbursement. The cabinet urged beneficiaries not to visit post offices or bank branches until they receive the message. Those who missed their due dates will be scheduled for another time. Minister of Manpower Mohamed Saafan said that every beneficiary would also receive an ATM card for free to facilitate receiving the second and third batches of aid.
*A version of this article appears in print in the 16 April, 2020 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly