Content of type Activity tagged with "Conflict/Post-Conflict" for the period August 2008
Children and youth around the world are among the most severely affected demographics when countries decline into, pursue and eventually rise out of conflict. The cycle of violence leads many to enter refugee camps, to lose one or both parents and other family members, or to join the fighting themselves. The effects of this trauma present lifelong consequences for those affected, not only in terms of economic self-sufficiency but also of mental and physical health, educational attainment, and overall well being. This section of the website draws together reports, tools, guidelines and other resources on this topic to provide practitioners and donors with the information they need to meet the demands of these challenging environments.
Agriculture for Children's Empowerment (ACE)


Though peace was declared in 2003, Liberia continues to struggle to recover after 15 years of civil war. Addressing widespread poverty, providing employment for youth and ex-combatants and increasing domestic food production are all substantial needs. Though Liberia has no shortage of fertile land, many people, especially youth, see farming as an occupation of last resort rather than a viable business opportunity. Consequently, Liberia has to import most of its food, resulting in inconsistent supplies and high prices. On average, Liberian households spend 70 percent of their income on food—a situation that will only worsen as global food prices continue to rise, unless local agricultural production increases dramatically. Through the Agriculture for Children’s Empowerment (ACE) Project, ACDI/VOCA is addressing these needs by engaging youth and demonstrating that farming can be a profitable enterprise.

The ACE Project is developing entrepreneurship and bringing farmers into profitable value chains with the goal of increasing income, improving nutrition and enabling caregivers to better support their children. The project aims to:

  • increase local production of key staple foods by supporting paddy rice development in four communities in Bong and Nimba counties, and vegetable production in two communities in Montserrado County;

  • magnify impacts on child wellbeing by targeting communities with public information campaigns about children’s nutrition and education, and the potential dangers of child labor; and
  • cultivate the next generation of Liberian farmers by working with local schools to introduce the Farming as a Business curriculum, which provides students with the skills and information they need to successfully engage in farming as a primary livelihood strategy.

    By increasing household income and making farming more attractive to caregivers and youth, ACE aims to have a significant and sustainable impact on the wellbeing of Liberian children and the economic viability of their households and communities. ACE is one of five initiatives under the AED STRIVE Program exploring effective means of reducing the vulnerability of children and youth through economic strengthening.

    Related Projects/Programs:

    STRIVE

    Contact Info:

    Ruth Campbell
    Managing Director, Enterprise Development
    ACDI/VOCA
    50 F Street NW
    Suite 1075
    Washington, DC 20001
    United States
    RCampbell@acdivoca.org

    Performance Period:

    September 2008 to August 2012

    • Afghanistan Secure Futures


    Although Afghanistan has seen gains in education, health care provision and economic growth in recent years, most of its people continue to struggle economically. Furthermore, the ongoing conflict, the legacy of the Taliban, and decades of war have left the country with a substantially under-educated and under-trained workforce. Apprenticeships are one of the most common approaches to vocational training in Afghanistan. While valuable for youth skill building, the quality of apprenticeships varies greatly, with some apprenticeships causing youth to forego their formal education, put themselves at risk of physical injury or become stuck in low-wage jobs over the long term. To improve the quality of informal apprenticeships, and thus support the development of a workforce that will more fully contribute to Afghanistan’s economic growth, AED and MEDA are collaborating on the Afghanistan Secure Futures (ASF) project. ASF is one of five initiatives under the AED STRIVE Program exploring effective means of reducing the vulnerability of children and youth through economic strengthening.

    ASF operates on the hypothesis that growing businesses offer greater opportunities for apprentices to learn a wider range of marketable skills. By linking small businesses to larger market players, business associations, and financial service providers, the project helps businesses to improve both the quality and quantity of their work by:

    • helping small and micro-businesses in the Afghan construction industry access the financial services, skills and information they need to grow their businesses;
    • working with business owners to increase their appreciation of workplace safety measures and their awareness of the value of enabling apprentices to remain in school; and
    • increasing educational opportunities for apprentices by assisting local organizations in providing supplemental education to apprentices.

    Together, these activities provide working youth with a richer apprenticeship experience that increases their current income and future employability, leading to a more secure future for the youth of Afghanistan.

    Related Programs:

    STRIVE

    Contact Info:

    Naseem Akhtar
    AED
    Global Education Center
    1825 Connecticut Avenue, NW
    Washington, DC 20009
    dhenry@aed.org

    Jennifer Denomy
    MEDA
    Suite I-106, 155 Frobisher Drive
    Waterloo, Ontario, N2V 2E1
    jdenomy@meda.org

    Performance Period:

    September 2008 to August 2011