DRC ’s overall objective for income generation as a distinct programming component is to:
- Provide support to sustainable livelihoods
- Facilitate access to the right to self-determination and self-protection among refugees, IDPs and host population in conflict-affected communities.
In that sense, income generation is a relevant and important tool to be implemented in situations of acute crisis, displacement as well as durable solution.
At the level of the individual project and its direct beneficiaries, income generation should have a sound, measurable and sustainable impact on a beneficiaries’ livelihood portfolio and, as a direct consequence, the socio-economic situation of the beneficiary’s household. When assessing ‘impact’ on such a micro-level, the particular ‘life situation’ in a specific conflict-affected context has to be taken into account.
In an institutional perspective, success depends on whether a sustainable and flexible mechanism or institution is supported, which can provide continued access to income generation services with the objective of strengthening socio-economic resilience among refugees, IDPs and host communities.
| Examples of income generation activities in different scenarios: | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Acute crisis | Displacement | Durable solutions | |
| Relief | Establishment of Cash for Work schemes Direct payment of cash or voucher systems |
Delivery of equipment/tools for income generation Provision of small grants Establishment of Cash for Work Schemes |
Delivery of services such as small grants, tools and equipment or raw materials for income generation to vulnerable beneficiaries |
| Livelihood support | Direct delivery of basic tools and equipment for income generation and/or small-scale production | Delivery of grants to vulnerable beneficiaries Delivery of Micro Credit services Conduct of vocational and business training Establishment of job creation schemes Rehabilitation of economic infrastructure Community mobilisation |
Delivery of Micro Credit services Establishment of group loan schemes and revolving loan funds Provision of vocational and business training to entrepreneurs Establishment of job creation schemes Support to Small and Medium Enterprise Development (SME ) |
| Institutional and organisational change | Training of responsible authorities Addressing economic problems among host populations Mobilisation of other relief actors Information dissemination to Refugees and IDPs (rights of access to services) |
Authority sensitisation of MF issues Addressing economic problems among host populations Mobilisation of other relief actors Information dissemination to Refugees and IDPs (rights of access to services) |
Support to re-establishment of market linkages Private sector support strategies Advocacy and capacity development activities within MF management, legislation, co-ordination |
