Promote Economic Inclusion

Our economic inclusion programs ensure that refugees have economic opportunities to earn sustainable income and start their lives anew.

When people flee violence and persecution, they leave their whole lives behind and have to start over from scratch. Learn how refugees around the world are not only rebuilding their lives and careers but also giving back to their new communities. (SideXSide for HIAS)

Overview

One of the most important opportunities for refugees is to build skills, earn a living, and invest in their communities. HIAS’ economic inclusion programs ensure that refugees have safe economic opportunities to earn sustainable income and rebuild their lives. Our programs are market-oriented, protection-focused, and concentrate on economic empowerment of all refugees, including young women and survivors of sexual and domestic violence.

40,000+

people accessed our economic inclusion services and support in 2024.

Strategies

Our programs help refugees and their host communities build self-reliance, increase resilience, regain dignity, and provide opportunities for independent and meaningful futures. Access to sustainable livelihoods is an important tool for meeting refugees’ needs for protection, food security, housing, health, and other services.

HIAS' economic inclusion programs aim to:

  • Alleviate poverty through our Graduation Model Approach, which combines vocational and technical training, financial literacy, and coaching with cash assistance.

  • Support entrepreneurship by training refugees to start businesses in their host countries.

  • Facilitate wage employment for forcibly displaced people though building up skills and connecting them to employers.

  • Support financial inclusion by advocating with banks and micro-finance institutions, delivering financial literacy training, and bringing refugees closer to financial services.

  • Respond to emergencies with economic and financial interventions.

Countries

Chad
Colombia
Costa Rica
Ecuador
Greece
Israeli flag
Israel
Kenya
United States
Venezuela

Impact

Mohamed Alshalabi, proprietor of Shiyra’s Sweets in Ann Arbor, Michigan, prepares baklava. (Amanda Mae for JFS of Washtenaw County)

Deep Dive: The Economic Impact of Refugee Resettlement

There is a common misconception that refugees are an economic drain on the U.S. economy. In fact, the opposite is true.

Read more

Resources

Labor Market Assessment for Refugees in Moldova

The overall scope of this study is to carry out a Labor Market Assessment for refugees located in the Republic of Moldova, to provide evidence-based information for quality program design. The study was conducted at the request of HIAS Moldova.

Read

Labor Market Assessment of Ukrainian Refugees in Romania

A new labor market assessment to identify unexplored, new, or adapted economic inclusion pathways for Ukrainian refugees in Bucharest, Constanta, Galati, and Braila.

Download report

Together, we can help create a world in which refugees find welcome, safety, and opportunity.

Your gift will help us provide vital services to refugees and asylum seekers and advocate for their fundamental rights so they can rebuild their lives.

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