REBUILD: Rebuilding Livelihoods for the Most Vulnerable Returnees and IDPs Living in Informal and Urban Settlements in Ninewa, Salah al-Din, Diyala and Sulaymaniyah through Short-term Employment and Business Restoration Action Against Hunger (ACF), Cooperazione Internazionale (COOPI), Human Imprint Organization (HIO) and Youth Activity Organization (YAO), acting through a consortium, are proposing a project to address the acute livelihood needs of returnees in critical shelter and out-of-camp IDPs in underserved locations through a) providing immediate income opportunities for populations in need, and b) protecting existing and newly emerging enterprises in: Ba’aj in Ninewa Governorate Tooz Khurmato in Salah Al-Din Governorate Khanaqin in Diyala Governorate and Sulaymaniyah Markez in Sulaymaniyah Governorate. Through Cash for Work (CfW) and small grants for enterprises activities, partners aim to achieve HRP Specific Objectives 1.2 and 1.3, and respond to the aggravated livelihood situation of vulnerable groups of people in the targeted governorates.
Partner activities will target recent returnees and IDPs in critical shelter, with particular attention paid to families living in informal settlements. The project will launch a community outreach campaign targeting 5,000 individuals to sensitize them on the project objectives and activities, beneficiary targeting and selection process, as well as the importance of female participation. Together with local authorities and the community, consortium partners will target 572 households or 2,860 individuals for CfW activities and 410 individuals for small grants for enterprises activities (55% female 10% PwDs 40% youth aged 16-25).
Based on partners’ extensive experience working with local authorities and communities in the targeted governorates, as well as on lessons learned from previous programming, the consortium will rely on the heavy involvement of affected communities and local authorities in all phases of the project cycle. This has proven to be an effective method to ensure the sustainability of the interventions and to mitigate risks of tensions in the communities. Throughout the project, the consortium will apply a strong gender, disability and protection mainstreaming approach. The consortium will capitalize on each partner’s respective technical and thematic strengths through a robust capacity development arm to ensure improved overall project performance.

ACF will support 30 enterprises with small grants and 204 CfW workers with employment for 20 working days in Ba’aj. COOPI will target 32 enterprises with small grants Sulaymaniyah. YAO will enroll 180 workers in CfW for 20 working days in Khanaqin. HIO will support 20 enterprises with small grants and 188 CfW workers with employment for 20 working days in Tooz. All enterprises beneficiaries will receive business skills and LSE training provided by the respective implementing partner in the above-mentioned locations.

The consortium will develop and implement a peer-to-peer partner capacity-development component. Based on initial capacity assessments and partner feedback, ACF will train consortium partners on best practices for setting up and growing accountability to affected populations plans, grants management, project cycle management, financial reporting and administrative controls, MHPSS screening and referrals as well as ToTs for life skills and coping. COOPI will facilitate training on business development and protection mainstreaming. YAO will train consortium members on best practices for engaging and tailoring activities for youth.