The annual World Bank Financial and Private Sector Development Forum (FPD) has selected a post-earthquake livelihood project implemented by IOM in Central Java and Yogyakarta as one of the world’s most innovative projects for crisis recovery and job creation.

The project, which will be presented with 19 others on March 2-3 at this year’s Forum in Washington D.C., has been helping 3,000 micro- and small enterprises (MSE) in Yogyakarta and Central Java Provinces in regaining and enhancing their productive capacities following the disastrous 2006 earthquake.

Targeting the livestock, crop production, textile and food processing and handicraft sectors, IOM has provided essential productive assets, technical and business development training, while also facilitating the beneficiaries’ access to finance.

“The main innovative element of this project is the combination of individual MSE selection, training and asset support with attention to the needs of small-producer groups and village communities,” said IOM Project Manager Johan Grundberg.

Administered by the World Bank, this project is part of a wider post-disaster rehabilitation programme funded through the multi-donor Java Reconstruction Fund (JRF).

The trust fund was established in order to organize a pool of fund from the European Union, Netherlands, Canada, UK, Denmark, Finland and ADB to support the government’s rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts of the 2006 earthquake, which affected more than 30,000 small businesses and destroyed or damaged 200,000 houses.

According to JRF Trust Fund Manager, Shamima Khan, “IOM’s innovative grassroots approach has boosted the productivity and efficiency of small enterprises. It has also promoted community resilience and sustainability through disaster risk reduction and building of government capacity.”    

This project will continue to build the capacity of target communities, local government and civil society to prepare for and address potential future natural disasters and other macro-economic shocks, ensuring long-term sustainability of the project’s impact.

For further reference of this project, a recently released video documentary can be viewed in the Java Reconstruction Fundwebsite (www.javareconstructionfund.org/projects/livelihoods-IOM.html) or directly on YouTube: