Open Call for Livelihood Development Programme (Mozambique)

Deadline: 25-Sep-2026

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is seeking experienced partners to implement livelihoods strengthening initiatives in Mozambique for refugees, asylum-seekers, internally displaced persons (IDPs), returnees, and host communities. The opportunity focuses on promoting economic inclusion, social empowerment, employability, self-reliance, and sustainable livelihoods through market-based and context-sensitive approaches. The programme recognizes that conflict and exposure to extreme weather events continue to create barriers to economic participation and sustainable livelihoods for displaced populations and host communities.

About the UNHCR Livelihoods Programme

Refugees, asylum-seekers, IDPs, returnees, and host communities in Mozambique face significant challenges in achieving self-reliance and sustainable economic opportunities. Ongoing conflict and extreme weather events can further increase economic vulnerability and make it difficult for affected populations to access employment, markets, finance, and business opportunities. The UNHCR partnership opportunity aims to address these challenges through comprehensive livelihoods strengthening interventions that are responsive to local market conditions and community needs. Purpose of the Partnership Opportunity The programme seeks experienced organizations that can design and implement livelihoods initiatives supporting economic inclusion and self-reliance.

The interventions should focus on:

- Economic inclusion - Social empowerment - Increased employability - Sustainable livelihoods - Market access - Enterprise development - Climate-sensitive livelihoods - Private-sector engagement - Business growth - Long-term self-reliance Applicants are expected to develop approaches that connect beneficiaries with relevant markets, employers, businesses, and other economic actors. Target Beneficiaries The programme is designed to support several groups affected by displacement and economic vulnerability.

These include:

- Refugees - Asylum-seekers - Internally displaced persons - Returnees - Host communities Applicants should demonstrate how their proposed interventions will respond to the different needs and economic circumstances of these groups. Key Livelihood Areas The call encourages comprehensive interventions across several livelihood and economic sectors. Agriculture Applicants may develop initiatives covering different areas of agriculture, including: - Farming - Fisheries - Livestock Agricultural interventions should be designed around market opportunities and local economic conditions while taking sustainability and climate considerations into account. Employability The programme also supports approaches that increase access to employment and income-generating opportunities.

This may include:

- Wage employment - Self-employment - Employability development - Job placement - Apprenticeships - Internships Connecting beneficiaries with employers and private-sector actors will be an important component of employment-focused approaches. Business Development Business development initiatives can include support for enterprises and artisanal small industries. Applicants should demonstrate how their interventions will help beneficiaries establish, strengthen, and grow sustainable businesses. Market Access Improving access to markets is a central component of the programme. Livelihood initiatives should help beneficiaries establish sustainable market linkages and identify opportunities to sell products and services. Private Sector Engagement Applicants are expected to demonstrate practical strategies for connecting beneficiaries with private-sector actors.

Potential approaches include:

- Apprenticeships - Internships - Job placement schemes - Business mentorship - Supplier development - Private-sector partnerships These linkages should help beneficiaries transition from training and livelihood support toward sustainable economic participation. Enterprise Graduation and Business Growth The programme encourages approaches that support beneficiaries beyond initial training. Applicants should consider strategies for: - Enterprise graduation - Business growth - Post-training coaching - Mentorship - Business incubation - Continuous market linkages These mechanisms can help enterprises move toward greater sustainability and reduce dependence on short-term programme support. Climate and Sustainability Considerations Livelihood interventions should incorporate sustainability and climate considerations. This is particularly important in Mozambique, where affected populations may face economic disruption linked to extreme weather events as well as ongoing conflict. Applicants should demonstrate how their proposed livelihoods approaches can remain responsive to changing environmental and economic conditions. Assessments and Evaluations Applicants must demonstrate experience and capacity in conducting assessments and evaluations.

This includes the ability to conduct:

- Age-sensitive socio-economic surveys - Gender-sensitive socio-economic surveys - Value chain assessments - Labour market assessments - Impact evaluations These assessments should help organizations understand beneficiary needs, market conditions, employment opportunities, and the effectiveness of livelihood interventions. Monitoring and Reporting Applicants should demonstrate strong capacity to monitor and report on both programme outputs and longer-term livelihood outcomes. Monitoring should go beyond measuring activities and participation to assess whether interventions are contributing to sustainable economic improvements.

Relevant outcome indicators may include:

- Changes in income - Employment retention - Business survival rates - Household resilience - Self-reliance indicators Organizations should be able to collect, analyse, and report relevant data to demonstrate programme performance and longer-term results. Coordination With Stakeholders Coordina