Livelihoods & Economic Empowerment
Livelihoods and economic empowerment are at the center of AGO’s mission to promote self-reliance, resilience, and inclusive development for vulnerable populations across Iraq and Northeast Syria. Through a comprehensive and integrated approach, AGO seeks to restore sources of income for individuals and families affected by conflict and displacement and also build the long-term capacity of communities to participate meaningfully in the economy.
Our livelihoods interventions are grounded in the belief that access to decent work and sustainable income is a fundamental pillar of dignity, social cohesion, and recovery. In the aftermath of conflict, displacement, and economic collapse, communities face multidimensional barriers to achieving economic security particularly women, youth, returnees, persons with disabilities (PWDs), and internally displaced persons (IDPs). AGO’s programs are specifically designed to respond to these intersecting vulnerabilities with tailored, inclusive solutions.
Strategic Objectives
AGO’s livelihoods and economic empowerment programming is structured around several strategic goals:
- Restore productive capacities and employment opportunities in crisis-affected areas.
- Support economic reintegration for returnees and IDPs through market-based interventions.
- Promote entrepreneurship and innovation among vulnerable individuals with business potential.
- Enhance the resilience of micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs).
- Expand access to vocational skills, financial services, and social capital for marginalized groups.
- Promote women’s economic participation and leadership through gender-responsive programming.
Vocational Skills Training
AGO collaborates with governmental vocational training centers, technical institutes, and private sector trainers to design and deliver high-quality vocational skills programs tailored to local labor market needs. Trainings span a wide variety of fields, including agriculture and food processing, electrical work, plumbing, ICT and graphic design, tailoring, solar panel installation, retail and store management, and hospitality services.
Each training cycle is complemented with soft skills modules (communication, conflict resolution, digital literacy) and linked with post-training opportunities such as internships, job placements, or entrepreneurship coaching. Special provisions are made to ensure accessibility for persons with disabilities and young women, including transportation, childcare support, and gender-sensitive curricula.
Entrepreneurship Development
For participants with business ideas or existing informal enterprises, AGO provides intensive entrepreneurship training, business planning workshops, and access to zero-interest seed funding in the form of in-kind assets or cash. Participants undergo feasibility assessments and receive coaching on market positioning, customer engagement, budgeting, risk management, and compliance with local regulations.
After receiving start-up support, entrepreneurs are provided with tailored mentorship, peer-to-peer networking sessions, and follow-up visits to help them grow and sustain their businesses. In collaboration with local chambers of commerce and business incubators, AGO also supports market linkages, cooperative formation, and inclusion in local value chains.
Support for Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs)
Recognizing the essential role that MSMEs play in post-conflict economic recovery, AGO provides targeted support to small and microbusinesses in sectors such as agriculture, manufacturing, services, and informal trade. Support packages include provision of equipment and tools, business diagnostics and upgrade plans, digitalization support, and connection to suppliers and buyers.
Where possible, AGO promotes the clustering of MSMEs around key value chains and encourages cooperation, resource sharing, and local branding. Special emphasis is placed on women-led and youth-owned enterprises, which are often undercapitalized and disconnected from formal business support systems.
Cash-for-Work and Apprenticeship Opportunities
AGO’s short-term employment programs offer immediate income support while contributing to community resilience and infrastructure. Cash-for-work schemes typically focus on rehabilitation of public spaces, agricultural land preparation, irrigation canal clearance, solid waste management, or environmental conservation.
For youth and skill-seekers, AGO also facilitates apprenticeship placements in local businesses and workshops. These apprenticeships provide hands-on experience, mentorship, and a pathway to full-time employment. Employers participating in the apprenticeship program receive orientation and modest subsidies to promote inclusive hiring practices.
Access to Finance and Financial Literacy
Access to affordable and inclusive financial services remains a major challenge for vulnerable populations. especially in areas underserved by microfinance institutions. AGO addresses this gap by providing:
- Zero-interest loans through revolving community funds or local cooperatives
- In-kind grants and startup asset packages
- Financial literacy training (budgeting, savings, mobile banking, bookkeeping)
- Advisory services on business formalization and taxation
AGO is exploring partnerships with financial service providers and fintech platforms to further expand digital access to credit, savings products, and business support tools in rural and peri-urban areas.
Inclusion and Gender Equality
AGO integrates inclusion and gender equality into all program areas to ensure that women, youth, and persons with disabilities (PWDs) access services equitably. This is achieved through:
- Gender-sensitive vocational training and livelihood opportunities
- Adapted approaches for PWDs, including assistive tools and coaching
- Safe spaces and tailored pathways for women and youth
- Community engagement to challenge exclusionary norms
AGO also trains staff on inclusive practices and uses disaggregated data to inform planning. Ongoing collaboration with disability organizations and women’s networks strengthens outreach and ensures program accessibility.
Target Groups
AGO’s livelihoods programming prioritizes vulnerable and underserved populations, particularly:
- Returnees from camps or third countries, including those formerly in Al-Hol and Jadaa camps
- Internally displaced persons (IDPs) living in host communities or informal settlements
- Women, especially female-headed households and survivors of gender-based violence
- Youth at risk of unemployment, exclusion, or radicalization
- Persons with disabilities (PWDs) requiring adapted approaches and inclusive design
- Conflict-affected host communities, facing unemployment and service collapse
Sustainability & Impact
AGO’s livelihood approach is rooted in long-term sustainability. All programs are designed in consultation with local authorities, technical directorates, private sector actors, and civil society to ensure relevance and ownership. Regular labor market assessments, post-intervention evaluations, and follow-up visits are conducted to track employment outcomes, business growth, and household resilience.
Where possible, AGO embeds livelihood components within broader recovery and development frameworks, including social cohesion, protection, climate adaptation, and local governance programs thereby creating synergies and amplifying impact.
To date, AGO has supported over 12,000 individuals through its economic empowerment activities, contributing to improved food security, reduced aid dependency, stronger local markets, and the creation of new income-generating initiatives.
People Supported
