Through the introduction of the COVID-19 Cash Transfer Programme for Poor and Vulnerable Households, a seven-month longitudinal study found significant positive impacts across human development dimensions and socioeconomic indicators including food security, nutrition, children’s education, savings, debt repayments, productivity, healthcare, gender empowerment, and perception of local and national governments. The findings also dismissed concerns over potential idleness among recipients of the cash transfers. 

At a macroeconomic level, economy-wide modelling also suggested that the cash transfer programme helped to slow the loss of development gains achieved over the last two decades and to stimulate economic growth, reduce poverty, and create local employment in Cambodia.