Grants and Microfinance programmes include a wide range of products. The most common in DRC ’s income generation programmes are briefly presented below.
| Examples of income generation activities in different scenarios:
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| In-kind Grant Schemes | Grants provided in-kind and with a tailored approach to especially vulnerable beneficiaries without repayment capacity and/or as a start up activity until conditions allow for credits schemes. Grants are provided on the basis of an economic assessment but vulnerability criteria remain relatively central for targeting. |
| Microcredit | Credits are provided in cash and normally paid back to a revolving fund that ensures future access to credit. Technically, this implies that DRC does not claim back the money once it is dispersed. However, DRC is usually actively involved in managing and monitoring the revolving loan fund. Clients should be selected on the basis of an economic assessment that includes the capability to deal with the financial risk related to managing a loan. Credits can be provided to individuals or through groups. |
| Savings | As an integral part of credit schemes, DRC can encourage saving schemes amongst individuals or groups. The objective is to provide a safe place to save as well as to build a credit culture amongst people. Local saving habits and the level of trust should be carefully assessed before introducing saving schemes. |
| Business Development Services | Business training is offered in situations where market structures are new to the clients or where changing roles of gender and generation have resulted in inexperienced breadwinners (women and/or children) that have not been responsible for income generation before. Business training should be provided prior to granting a credit and followed up during the course of a project. |
| Job Creation Schemes | Support to local companies in terms of grants or credits can be offered with the scope of assisting the companies in creating sustainable job positions. This type of assistance could be organised in situations where conditions for self-employment are scarce or people, as part of their reintegration strategy, wish to return to their original job position. |
| Cash for Work Schemes | Cash for work schemes may also be classified under income generation. Such schemes can be useful to inject cash into local economies and address pressing infrastructure improvements such as road repairs. Cash for work is popular among men and has been used successfully among ex-combatants. |
