Feasibility Study for Piloting Graduation Programs in Lebanon

In April 2017 Trickle Up conducted a study to determine the feasibility of expanding upon using the Graduation Approach as a pathway by which both poor Lebanese nationals and Syrian refugees can be more effectively included in livelihood responses and economic development programs. This paper examines the Graduation Approach as a viable solution to enable under- and unemployed Lebanese and Syrians living in extreme poverty to reduce dependence on dwindling aid resources, become self-reliant, and actively contribute to local economies, while building skills and experience among the Syrian population that would prepare them to return to Syria when the crisis is over.

The paper recommends leveraging the existing systems and structures outlined in the Lebanon Crisis Response Plan (LCRP) to streamline the delivery of services through a Graduation Approach lens to ensure that the poorest households receive the appropriate support at the appropriate point in their development. Currently, the operational response plans for basic assistance, food security, and livelihoods presented in the LCRP are comparable to many of the components included in the Graduation Approach. By targeting Lebanese and Syrians living in extreme poverty and sequencing these interventions in an intentional and time-bound manner, a Graduation project would maximize impact on beneficiaries.