Inclusive Livelihoods
in the context of the
HI Strategy 2011-2015
South Asia Desk Seminar
Bangkok, Thailand
October 2011
HI Strategy – some key
elements
Supporting the most vulnerable and
excluded
 Achieving a measurable impact
 Demonstrating our impact on the
living conditions of our beneficiary
populations
 A leader in development of services
and access to services

Principles of intervention


“Our choices…are guided first and
foremost by the desire to have the
greatest possible and measurable impact
on the lives of our final beneficiaries”
“Our action focuses primarily on the most
vulnerable populations and those most
exposed to risk, as well as on victims of
discrimination and exclusion”
Are we doing this?
How do we know?
Livelihoods

Livelihoods and social protection.
“Handicap International will focus field
action and knowledge-sharing on
access to livelihoods through
employment and social protection
mechanisms.”
…. Ok…
Raise the bar. Increase the quality we
expect from livelihood projects …even
in “little component”
 Increase the number of sector
projects to ensure adequate
resources for good-quality projects
 Capitalize existing tools for measuring
vulnerability and quality of life

P
RI
O
RI
TI
E
S
Strengthen linkages between ILD and
sector projects
 Strengthen links with rehab and health
sectors
 Work more in consortium with
mainstream
 Consolidate advocacy at intl level
 Analyze our strengths with other
populations (PLHIV, more vulnerable)

 Often,
livelihoods is priority for Pwd
 Microfinance sector -> innovation,
focus on poor and excluded,
accessibility, illiteracy…
 Business development services exist
 Community based mobilization …
 CBR / community field workers or
volunteer networks exit
Definition of livelihoods
Livelihoods
Employment/
Self-employment
Skills
development
Financial
services
Social assistance /
social security
For HI, seven axes of work





Modality 1 - Supporting the setting up of an
individual livelihood project
Modality 2 - Developing businesses and the
capacities of entrepreneurs
Modality 3 - Promoting access to appropriate
financial resources
Modality 4 - Constructing a favourable
environment for the livelihood of people with
disabilities
Modality 5 - Promoting access to technical and
professional training / other skills
 Modality
6 - Supporting job-
seekers
 Modality 7 - Supporting
employers in the recruitment of
people with disabilities
Does this approach/project
have the greatest possible
and measurable impact on
the lives of our final
beneficiaries?
Does this
approach/project
reaches the most
vulnerable populations?
Have we planned for the adequate human
and financial resources to be able to
implement it?
Individual level
Awareness and
identification of potential
beneficiaries
Coaching  definition of
economic project
Livelihood
improvement
Follow up  day to day
coaching
Training  loan, basic
management
Selection committee
 approval/refusal of
PwD project
Financial partner 
obtain a loan
System level
Decision makers
Users
Service providers
Services level
Inclusive system of
livelihood services
Mainstream services
Vocational training centers
Business development services
Microfinance
Rural development /
agriculture offices
Continuing education programs
Job placement / mediation
bureaus
Social security
Support services
Personal assistant
Sign language interpreter
Technological support
Social facilitators
Specialized services
Sheltered workshop
Social assistance
Specialized training center
Savings and credit groups of
PwD
working with mainstream livelihood
service providers
INFORMATION
AWARENESS
TRAINING
KNOWLEDGE
ATTITUDES
PRACTICES
POLICIES
ADVOCACY
COACHING
CHANGE INSTITUTIONAL
POLICIES AND PRACTICES
Information
 Awareness raising
 Training
 Advocacy
 Coaching

Impact in
sustainable
change of
practice and
policies
Number of
stakeholders
you can reach
Make sure the type of intervention matches the project’s resources
and indicators….
Eg AVOID!
-Objective: Support PwD to increase their income
-Activity: carry out awareness raising sessions for 25 NGO
- Indicator: 50 PwD are employed by the NGO
Looking at indicators
# kits distributed
# persons referred
# persons received training
------- how does this translate into
quality of life?
Wouldn’t it better to report on increases on:
-Profit and household budget
- Self confidence
-Social participation
- Nutrition, access to school…?
- Ability to make decisions on one’s life?
Project focus: Cambodia
Livelihoods sector project… with a holistic
approach

Access to mainstream and specialized
services
……. + direct service provision by project /
support service

Coaching of local partner and handover

Adequate resources

Individual/family needs + policies at local
level

Dissemination

Measurable Impact on
Quality of Life
SB profit and linkage to HH budget
Has the profit from SB had an the impact on the HH budget?
Education
Percentage of children from 6-11 years of age that missed school at least one
month (except holiday) in the past year
Food
Ability to access (buy or grow) the appropriate food for a nutritious diet all
year round (safe water + rice + vegetable + fish or other source of
protein)
Health
Access to quality medical care when a family member is sick
Housing
General condition of the house
Electronic equipment
Electronic equipment owned by the family
Capability related to technical/business skills
Technical knowledge (business, vocational) that can be used for business
Capability to invest in key areas of life
Ability to direct your income to your priorities (health, food, education, debt
payment…)
Self-confidence
Assessment of the person of her own capacities to take decisions on her life
and find solutions to problems (generally, not just related to the SB)
Participation in family life
Participation in family events and decision-making
Participation in community life
Participation in social, cultural, religious and political events in the community
Overall satisfaction with my life
Perception of current situation and confidence in future (sustainability)
In summary…





Personalised social support + inclusive
system of services + policies
Linkages with different sectors+ cross
cutting approaches
Supporting the most vulnerable and
excluded
Achieving a measurable impact
Demonstrating our impact on the living
conditions of our beneficiary populations