Creating opportunities across the journey from learning to economic participation
EFFO works through three connected programmes: Education & Learning; Youth Skills & Livelihoods; and Economic Inclusion & Resilience.
Together, they create opportunities for displaced children and young people to learn, develop relevant skills, build livelihoods and participate more fully in economic life.
From learning to opportunity
EFFO supports different entry points and forms of progression according to people’s age, circumstances and aspirations. Every intervention contributes to a credible pathway forward. Learning and economic progression depend on safe environments, functional services, household stability and community support—so we strengthen these conditions where they directly affect participation, dignity or progression.
Education & Learning
Creating opportunities to learn, progress and build the foundations for the future.
Why it matters
Education is often one of the first opportunities disrupted by displacement. Children may lose access to school because of movement, poverty, insecurity, distance, disability-related barriers or the costs associated with education. Even when they return to school, repeated interruptions can create significant learning gaps. EFFO therefore focuses not only on access to education, but also on learning, retention and progression.
What we do
- Access, enrolment and return-to-learning support
- Retention and dropout prevention
- Foundational literacy and numeracy
- Learning recovery and accelerated education
- Second-chance education
- Digital learning and digital literacy
- Scholarships and progression opportunities
- Inclusive education
- Educator development and teaching support
- Pathways into secondary, vocational and higher education
The opportunity we seek to create
Children and adolescents are able to enter learning, remain in learning, acquire meaningful skills and progress to the next stage of education or training.
How this contributes to longer-term change
Education expands future choices. A child who acquires foundational knowledge and progresses through education is better positioned to continue learning, develop specialised skills and participate economically and socially.
Youth Skills & Livelihoods
Creating opportunities for young people to develop relevant skills and translate them into viable livelihoods.
Why it matters
Many displaced young people enter adulthood without the skills, experience, networks or economic opportunities needed to become independent. Others complete training but remain unemployed because the training is disconnected from employers, markets or enterprise opportunities. EFFO therefore connects skills development with realistic pathways into livelihoods.
What we do
- Technical and vocational skills
- Digital and technology-related skills
- Entrepreneurship and enterprise development
- Transferable and life skills
- Financial literacy
- Career guidance
- Mentorship and coaching
- Apprenticeships
- Workplace experience
- Employer and training-provider linkages
- Business start-up and development support
- Second-chance pathways for young people who have not completed formal education
The opportunity we seek to create
Young people can develop relevant skills and use those skills to pursue employment, self-employment, enterprise or further learning.
How this contributes to longer-term change
Skills become transformative when they can be used. Connecting young people to livelihoods can strengthen income, independence, confidence and their ability to contribute to their households and communities.
Economic Inclusion & Resilience
Creating opportunities to participate in local economies, strengthen livelihoods and withstand future shocks.
Why it matters
Skills alone do not guarantee economic opportunity. Displaced people may still face barriers to employment, finance, productive assets, markets and business networks. At the same time, households that depend on fragile livelihoods can quickly lose progress when drought, flooding, conflict or economic shocks occur. EFFO therefore works to strengthen both economic inclusion and resilience.
What we do
- Employment and employer linkages
- Enterprise development
- Business mentorship
- Entrepreneurship support
- Financial literacy and financial inclusion
- Savings mechanisms
- Market linkages
- Business networks
- Livelihood diversification
- Climate-aware and shock-resilient livelihoods
- Private-sector partnerships
- Producer and market connections
The opportunity we seek to create
Displaced youth and households can participate more effectively in local economies, strengthen incomes and build more resilient livelihoods.
How this contributes to longer-term change
Economic participation can reduce dependency, strengthen household stability and increase people’s ability to make choices about their own futures.
Build sustainable pathways with us
We work with communities, public institutions, funders, educators, employers and responsible partners to expand practical routes from displacement to opportunity.