Children are more likely to be safe, educated and healthy when families have secure livelihoods. Save the Children works with vulnerable families in 27 countries to help ensure that they can afford to pay for basic needs and services for their children and provide access to sufficient, nutritious food all year round. We also offer assistance when shocks, such as rising food prices or natural or man-made disasters, threaten to devastate families. Save the Children's support provides the foundation from which families can achieve and sustain well-being for their children.
What is meant by livelihoods?
Livelihoods refers to the capabilities, assets and strategies that people use to make a living. These include income and employment; access to markets, goods and services; and primary production of food. Sustainable livelihoods are those that can cope with, and recover from stress and shocks, and can continue without undermining the natural resources base. Children are more likely to be food secure and protected when the family has a solid asset base to sustain their livelihoods.
What are Save the Children's Livelihoods Programs?
Livelihoods interventions supported by Save the Children reflect the different cultural contexts in which we work and include a wide range of vulnerable populations, such as small-holder farmers, pastoralists and HIV-affected households. We also incorporate youth into our programs as young people are the beneficiaries of, and contribute to, the economic viability of the household.
Save the Children focuses its efforts in two main program areas:
1) asset recovery and protection
2) income and asset growth.
Our programs take a comprehensive approach. We intervene before and during a crisis to protect and restore household assets. We also assist families in growing their income and assets when their situation is stable.
Read more about our program areas.
Read about our innovative work in livelihoods. (PDF)
Addressing the Child Hunger Crisis
Over the past year, a hunger crisis has affected many children in the developing countries in which we work. Save the Children's response addresses the problems related to both availability and access to food. Our interventions also ensure that food is properly utilized to dramatically improve children's health and nutrition. In the short-term, we provide cash and/or food safety nets on a seasonal or year-round basis. Over the longer term, we help farmers and entrepreneurs increase food production and household income through technical assistance and access to quality inputs, capital and more profitable markets. Save the Children's advocacy efforts ensure that the impact of the hunger crisis on children is recognized and that governments commit resources and respond appropriately to increase food security.
Read more about the child hunger crisis.
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Last Updated June 2009
