Youth Savings Groups, Entrepreneurship and Employment

  • Partner: Plan UK
  • Publication Type: Report
  • Date: May 2014

This report examines how youth savings groups can contribute to the fight against youth unemployment. It looks at key constraints to youth employability and entrepreneurship, including limited asset base and access to finance, lack of employability and entrepreneurship skills, limited social networks, household underinvestment in education and health, unfavorable cultural and social norms and non-conducive regulatory frameworks.

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Leveraging Apprenticeships to Reach and Benefit Vulnerable Youth: Lessons from STRIVE’s Afghan Secure Futures Program

  • Partner: Mennonite Economic Development Associates (MEDA), United States Agency for International Development (USAID), and FHI360
  • Publication Type: Report
  • Date: December 2013

STRIVE implemented four field projects in Africa and Asia between 2008 and 2013, ranging from savings-led finance to workforce development to value chain interventions. This report summarizes the findings of one of four STRIVE-funded initiatives, MEDA’s Afghan Secure Futures (ASF) project. ASF focused on benefiting youth apprentices working in workshops in the Afghan construction sector.

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Incorporating Supplementary Literacy and Numeracy Classes: Findings from STRIVE’s Afghan Secure Futures Program

  • Partner: Mennonite Economic Development Associates (MEDA), United States Agency for International Development (USAID), and FHI360
  • Publication Type: Report
  • Date: June 2013

STRIVE has implemented four field projects in Africa and Asia between 2008 and 2013. Each project has pursued a unique economic strengthening approach, ranging from savings-led finance to workforce development to value chain interventions. This report summarizes the findings of one of four STRIVE-funded initiatives, MEDA’s Afghan Secure Futures (ASF) project. ASF focused on benefiting youth apprentices working in workshops in the Afghan construction sector, in part by facilitating their access to supplementary literacy and numeracy training.

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Livelihood & Food Security Conceptual Framework

  • Partner: Livelihoods and Food Security Technical Assistance (LIFT) / United States Agency for International Development (USAID)
  • Publication Type: Report
  • Date: August 2011

The relationship between livelihoods and food security is complex and is influenced by a wide variety of factors that vary in importance across contexts and over time. This document presents a conceptual framework for integrating sustainable, market-driven livelihood strengthening into food security interventions.

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Assessment of USAID/PEPFAR’s Economic Strengthening Programs in Ethiopia: August 2010 – October 2010

  • Partner: Livelihoods and Food Security Technical Assistance (LIFT) / United States Agency for International Development (USAID)
  • Publication Type: Report
  • Date: April 2011

This paper presents an assessment conducted by the Livelihoods and Food Security Technical Assistance (LIFT) project of USAID Ethiopia’s economic strengthening (ES) activities within the office’s HIV/AIDS portfolio. This report contains the assessment findings together with recommendations for USAID/PEPFAR Ethiopia to support program activities. The goal of this assessment was to help mitigate the impacts of HIV/AIDS in Ethiopia by improving the quality and impact of ES interventions.

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Assessment of PEPFAR Economic Strengthening Programming for PLHIV and OVC in Swaziland

  • Partner: Livelihoods and Food Security Technical Assistance (LIFT), United States Agency for International Development (USAID)
  • Publication Type: Report
  • Date: March 2011

This assessment evaluated the potential of PEPFAR‘s Economic Strengthening programs in Swaziland to improve the well-being of People Living with HIV/AIDS, Orphans and Vulnerable Children and their caregivers, and identify new program opportunities and technical assistance options for strengthening existing programs.

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Marketlinks Speakers Corner #32: Value Chains for Vulnerable Populations

  • Partner: United States Agency for International Development (USAID)
  • Publication Type: Online Discussion Transcript
  • Date: April 2009

This summary presents highlights of a three-day online discussion that explored how value chain development programs can effectively involve vulnerable populations, respond to crisis, and tailor their strategy to particular situation and populations.

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