Evaluation for the implementation of Livelihoods programmes in Port-au-Prince for the French Red Cross
May-June 2011
With the reconstruction phase now underway, NGOs are wondering how to support the household economy. During the emergency phase, priority was given to injecting money into the household economy and food security. The majority of organizations ran Cash for Work activities, provided conditional and unconditional direct donations and distributed food vouchers. These programmes have only had a limited impact in reviving the household economy and their limits are currently becoming apparent. They have made it possible to improve the food situation and helped children to go to school for the new session in 2010 in certain cases, but the amount of money injected was often too small to revive economic activities in a sustained manner.
In the post-emergency context, it seems necessary both to replace this approach with activities which really provide income and employment, and to involve households and community bodies in decisions more. However, a lot of poor families in Port-au-Prince are still in a critical situation and there is a high risk of food insecurity due to the rise in prices. For these households, it is therefore necessary to maintain a joint approach including both economic revival and a security net.
It was in this context that Groupe URD carried out an evaluation for the French Red Cross in order to identify opportunities for the implementation of Livelihoods programmes to support vulnerable households living in the camps and neighbourhoods of Port-au-Prince where the organisation is already present.
