Supporting Youth and Women to Thrive in Lebanon’s Workforce

The Issue

Lebanon’s economy has been severely affected by recent conflicts, hitting small and medium-sized businesses the hardest. Disrupted supply chains, lost assets, and limited access to finance have forced many businesses to close or lay off workers. This economic strain affects an estimated 689,000 people.

Young people and women are among the most vulnerable. Many face legal barriers, discrimination, unsafe work conditions, and high risks of exploitation or gender-based violence. These challenges make it difficult for them to find stable, dignified work and secure income to support themselves and their families.

Communities in urban and peri-urban areas of Mount Lebanon (Burj el Barajneh and Haret Hreik) and the South (Wadi El Zayni, Saida, Bint Jbeil, and Tyre) are particularly affected. Without targeted support, these groups risk being excluded from the labour market which will further deepen cycles of poverty and vulnerability.

The Project

This 18-month project aims to strengthen livelihoods and protect vulnerable youth and women in Lebanon. The project is implemented by DanChurchAid Lebanon in partnership with our two local NGOs, the Fraternity Association and Amel Organization, focusing on urban and peri-urban areas in Mount Lebanon and the South.

The project helps participants improve their employability through training in technical and soft skills. It also provides psychosocial support to improve well-being and build resilience. Participants are connected to internships and job placements, creating real opportunities for income and career growth.

Protection measures and safeguarding mechanisms are integrated to ensure participants can work safely and fairly. By combining skills development, employment support, and protection services, the project helps youth and women access sustainable, dignified livelihoods while addressing barriers that prevent them from fully participating in the workforce.

The Change

Through this project, youth and women from vulnerable communities gain the skills, support, and opportunities needed to enter the workforce safely. Participants enhance both their technical and soft skills, improving employability and future job prospects.

Access to psychosocial support helps them cope with stress, build confidence, and navigate workplace challenges. Job placements and internships provide income and practical experience, opening pathways to long-term employment.

The project contributes to stronger, more resilient communities. Vulnerable youth and women are empowered to overcome economic barriers, improve their living conditions, and participate fully in society. By combining livelihood support with protection services, the program ensures that participants not only find work but do so safely and with dignity.

The Results

DCA has finalized a Labour Market Assessment, which identified value-chain gaps and high-growth sectors, and has already started the implementation of Market-Based Skills Trainings, based on these findings, in partnership with Amel Association International and Fraternity Association. The trainings has been implemented across Beirut, Mount Lebanon, and South Lebanon.

The trainings are complemented by soft skills development consisting of CV writing, interview skills, public speaking, and leadership training. Additionally structured psychosocial support sessions are provided, which offers guidance and pathways to specialized protection services when needed.

To strengthen employability outcomes, the project facilitates linkages with SMEs through three-month paid internships and organizes job-matching events and employment fairs in coordination with private-sector actors and innovation labs.

In parallel, DCA is supporting 10 promising youth- and women-led business ideas through group-based proposals and hands-on guidance on business planning, procurement, and implementation to promote sustainable livelihoods and income-generation opportunities.

The Partners

DCA Lebanon is implementing the project with our two local partners: Fraternity and Amel.

Amel Association has worked in the poorest areas of Lebanon for more than 40 years. Amel offers accessible services in the following fields: medical, psychosocial, professional training, rural development, child protection, food security, education, and human rights promotion.

Fraternity Association work with a mission to raise social and cultural awareness among children and youth from Palestinian, Syrian and Lebanese communities. They aim to promote peaceful coexistence, peacebuilding values, human rights, and the rejection of communal violence.