Lesson Learning Report: Socio-Economic Empowerment of Extreme Poor People with Disabilities
Abstract
This report examines the Shiree project which aimed to list 600 extreme poor households including people with disabilities in the Chittagong district out of extreme poverty. Lessons Learned from the project are:
(1) The dual goals of empowering individuals with disabilities and reducing poverty at the household level can be achieved through closely linking rehabilitation and livelihoods support.
(2) More needs to be done to decrease vulnerability to adverse shocks for extreme poor people with disabilities.
(3) Engaging with local government and civil society is essential to ensure that beneficiaries have access to support systems in the future.
(4) Partnerships with local Disabled People‟s Organizations (DPOs) should be strengthened to ensure sustainability.
(5) Procurement processes can be made more efficient while at the same time developing the capacity of beneficiaries and increasing transparency by shifting the role of the implementing NGO from a direct purchaser to acting as a facilitator and monitoring body.
(6) A well-defined strategy for wage employment distinct from self-employment should be developed.
(7) Having multiple livelihood opportunities is an important source of sustainability and resilience.
(8) Selecting local community members as field workers is important to establish links with key stakeholders and strengthen relationships within communities.
Citation
EEP/Shiree. Lesson Learning Report: Socio-Economic Empowerment of Extreme Poor People with Disabilities. Shiree, Dhaka, Bangladesh (2015) 52 pp.
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