According to the World Bank, poverty is estimated to have increased and deepened in Afghanistan. The rate of economic growth substantially lagged behind population growth, leading to declining per capita incomes. A quarter of the labour force was unemployed, and 80 percent of employment was insecure. Almost three-quarters of the population are below the age of 30, approximately 8 million are youth, with half a million entering the labour market each year with little education and few employment opportunities. Against this backdrop, UNHCR’s interventions on self-reliance and livelihoods have been gradually shifting to job placement and income generation rather than skills training.
A total of 3,170 individuals received a range of livelihoods support. The MADE51 initiative focused on connecting Afghan artisans with local and international market. In 2020, 50 beneficiaries (47 women and 3 men) continued receiving artisanal skills with new techniques and were able to produce high quality products. Links were established with local and international outlets for the sale of the products availing new partnership with social enterprise VOICEs. Skills training continued in a number of areas, accompanied by tool-kit distribution and business start-up support for graduates to ensure the training leads to income. Intervention in this area included carpet production, handicrafts, home-based poultry raising, printing, grocery shops, transport, beekeeping, mobile phone repair, bags and purse making, furniture production, baby garments production, and business incubation in different trades.