IOM Sudan tackles the main factors preventing economic development and return of camp based IDP households through enhancing communities’ resilience and providing IDP and returnee households as well as host communities with sustainable and diversified livelihood strategies. IOM’s livelihood response includes increasing the capacity of households to generate income through agricultural production, sustainable services to support the health of livestock, and vocational training and skills to facilitate start-up activities and businesses.

IOM’s livelihood programming includes assistance to both farmers and pastoralist communities. Farming communities are supported through the provision of training on farming techniques to stimulate integrated forms of agriculture as well as enhance household food security. Access to improved animal health care for pastoralists is improved through training of Community Animal Health Workers (CAHWs) as well as the upgrade of veterinary clinics providing services to this communities. Both pastoralists and farmers have been negatively affected by protracted conflict and natural disasters, and have been severely affected by the below average rainfall as a result of the El Niño phenomenon in 2015, causing delayed planting as well as lack of pastures. Through 2015 and the first quarter of 2016, 2,557 households have benefited from support services to agricultural livelihoods, and over 6,000 households are expected to benefit from rehabilitation of veterinary facilities and increased support through 80 trained CAHWs.

As these communities continue to move into IDPs camps often losing their livelihoods in the process, IOM strives to provide them with alternative economic solutions such as vocational training and acquisition of new skills to enable them to generate new income. In 2015 and the first quarter of 2016, a total of 1,111 households have benefited from IOM’s vocational training and income generating activities across North Darfur, West & South Kordofan and Blue Nile States. Through local partners, such as the Technical Schools of the State Ministry of Education and Civil Society Organizations, IOM has provided trainees with life skills in trades such as food processing and fishing, handicrafts, welding and construction, as well as the ability to build emergency shelters for distribution to populations in need. At the completion of the training graduates are awarded with startup kits containing tools to operate a self-established business.

IOM’s livelihood programming has expanded to deliver productive assets such as zinc shops, oil presses and mill grinding facilities in Abyei PCA. In the past two years IOM has also supported the establishment of two Women’s Centres in North Darfur States. The Zamzam and Abu Shouk Women’s Centers will be a place for community gatherings as well as provide women with the opportunity to be trained and display their goods for sale.

Livelihood fact sheets:

For more information, please contact:  Sudan Transition and Reintegration Unit

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Crisis Response