Local Empowerment through Economic Development (LEED) Project

GOAL To contribute to sustainable peace and conflict transformation by reducing conflict related economic inequalities through economic empowerment of the most vulnerable populations OVERALL OBJECTIVE To contribute to poverty reduction, sustainable job creation and peace building through an improved environment with strengthened governance, effective community-based services and public-private partnership that economically empower vulnerable groups in conflict-affected populations. Immediate Objective 1: To improve the policy environment for inclusive and sustainable entrepreneurship, job creation and gender equality for vulnerable groups in the selected conflict-affected communities Immediate Objective 2: To enhance the employability of female-headed household, persons with disabilities, families of ex-combatants, ex-combatants and unemployed youth through skills, business and life-skills training Immediate Objective 3: To develop the capacity (systems, organizational and individual) of local business development services, training providers and local government services to facilitate the development and growth of enterprises with a focus on the special needs of women, youth and disabled entrepreneurs Immediate Objective 4: To provide business development services including post-training support, vocational counseling, long term business mentoring, equipment, tools and facilitation of access to credit Immediate Objective 5: Increase market absorbability through value chain development and interventions targeting local competitive advantages to accommodate new business entrants and existing businesses to benefit from higher capital and market share growth both in promising sectors Immediate Objective 6: To design and implement, together with the chambers of commerce and the Ministry of Labour Relations and Manpower (MLR&MP) a sustainable business placement system in existing businesses and public sector organisations

Project symbol

SRL/10/04/AUS

Admin unit

CO-Colombo

Start date

26/05/2010

End date

30/06/2016

Total allocation

6866117

Total expenditure

Status

Closed

6866117

Development Partners

Australia, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

Country/Countries

Sri Lanka

Outcomes

More and better jobs for inclusive growth and improved youth employment prospects