The Cash-based Intervention (CBI) project, launched by UNHCR and Tzu Chi in August 2016, provides short-term cash aid to vulnerable refugees in Malaysia. Designed to help Persons of Concern (PoCs) cope with sudden challenges in accessing basic needs, CBI reduces the risk of negative coping mechanisms and supports pathways to self-reliance or durable solutions.

In Malaysia, refugees face limited access to healthcare, education, and work. CBI prioritizes assistance for households below the poverty line, women and girls at risk, children and adolescents at risk, individuals with serious medical conditions, and detained refugees unable to earn funds during incarceration. Aid amounts depend on the level of risk and the duration of assistance.

The CBI process involves assessing and identifying eligible PoCs, disbursing cash through home visits, and conducting follow-ups via Post-Distribution Monitoring Surveys, all carried out by volunteers.