Livelihoods and Food Security Fund

Canada's support to LIFT aims to reduce poverty among vulnerable populations in northern Rakhine State by: increasing economic and livelihood opportunities improving nutrition outcomes and increasing the resiliency and empowerment of women across Rakhine including Rohingya Muslims and other ethnic minorities. The project achieves these outcomes by funding local NGO initiatives via the UNOPS-managed Livelihoods Food and Security Trust (LIFT). The project also enhances and improves intercommunal social cohesion within these communities by incorporating peacebuilding into all financed projects. Project activities include: (1) working closely with men women and their children to increase household income and assets through financial literacy programs that target village savings and loans associations (VSLAs); (2) supporting technical vocational and life-skills training for those displaced in the protracted crisis in Rakhine; and (3) targeting women with awareness raising activities around nutritious feeding practices during pregnancy and after childbirth to improve nutritional status of Rakhine family units.

The expected outcomes of this project include: (1) improved nutritional status of Rakhine State community particularly of women and children; (2) increased household income and assets with greater control by women; (3) reduced vulnerability of households and individuals to economic shocks stresses and risks; and (4) strengthened collaboration between Rakhine State communities and civil society on gender-responsive and inclusive social cohesion policies and programs.