Poverty Alleviation Coalition: increasing self-reliance, economic, social inclusion

An update from World Vision

Poverty Alleviation Coalition: increasing self-reliance, economic, social inclusion

An update from World Vision

The Poverty Alleviation Coalition launched in July 2019 consisting of UNHCR, The World Bank Partnership for Economic Inclusion (PEI) and 13 NGOs (BOMA Project, BRAC, Caritas Switzerland, Concern Worldwide, the Danish Refugee Council, HIAS, Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA), GOAL, Mercy Corps, the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), Trickle Up, Village Enterprise, & World Vision International). In the framework of the Global Refugee Forum, the Coalition committed to working towards the common vision of increasing self-reliance, economic and social inclusion of refugees and host community households by sustainably increasing income-earning opportunities.

The Jobs and Livelihoods sector was significantly affected by COVID-19, and prevention and containment measures were put in place by Governments, with many refugees and host communities affected by forced displacement reliant on highly interactive, face to face employment. Over the past two years, World Vision has worked together with other partner organisations in over 20 countries to develop opportunities and proposals to meet the needs of refugees and host communities. It was agreed that the (Ultra Poor) Graduation Approach, would be the most effective and impactful methodology to apply to the needs of refugees and host communities. Designed to help ultra-poor households, the graduation approach helps people attain the confidence and the capacity to independently generate income. It targets households in extreme poverty and provides them with basic resources, financial education, technical training, life skill coaching, and social support so that they can "graduate" from the program with food security and sustainable sources of income.

Working with UNHCR and Caritas and using the agreed PAC approach, World Vision Rwanda was able to secure a substantial grant to work with around 5000 households on their trajectory out of poverty. In addition, World Vision Zambia, along with UNHCR, secured a grant to assist over 5,500 refugees in two districts under the same coalition arrangement. Both these projects began in early October 2021 and both were funded by The Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM) which is a division of the US government's State Department.

World Vision continues to serve as a member of the ' 'PAC's Technical Advisory Group and has been working with PAC Members, including UNHCR, to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on jobs and livelihoods and to mobilise donors to prevent major long-term consequences.

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