The global refugee population has grown dramatically over the past decade, driven by escalating conflicts and climate-related disasters, reaching an unprecedented 43 million people. Around 60 percent of refugees live in countries experiencing food crises, often enduring prolonged displacement that lasts an average of 20 years. In these conditions, many refugees remain dependent on long-term humanitarian assistance while facing limited access to sustainable livelihoods and economic opportunities.
To address these challenges, the World Food Programme’s Skills for Livelihood Opportunities initiative focuses on strengthening refugee self-reliance by equipping refugees and host communities with marketable skills. By linking technical vocational training with private sector partnerships, the programme helps participants access jobs and business opportunities, improve food security, and reduce reliance on aid. Successful experiences in countries such as Egypt and Colombia demonstrate how targeted skills development can translate into tangible economic outcomes.
In 2024, WFP supported 11.6 million refugees across 42 countries through food assistance and efforts to promote inclusion in national social protection systems. Alongside this, the SLO initiative invested in long-term self-reliance by providing market-driven training combined with conditional food or cash transfers, particularly in areas with limited access to natural resources. The approach integrates formal training with practical experience and post-training support, including coaching, access to finance, and job placement. During the year, WFP supported 800,000 people with food and cash assistance and trained more than 340,000 individuals in marketable skills.
Egypt, which hosts over one million refugees, faces heightened vulnerabilities due to ongoing economic challenges that make self-reliance and social integration more difficult. In response, WFP expanded its support beyond immediate food and cash assistance to focus on longer-term solutions. Through the SLO initiative, refugees and vulnerable Egyptians are supported to develop skills, access sustainable livelihoods, and strengthen social cohesion within their communities. Since early 2024, more than 23,000 refugees and vulnerable Egyptians have received vocational training and food assistance, with over half securing new income sources, contributing to broader benefits for more than 115,000 people.
In Colombia, where over 2.8 million Venezuelan migrants reside, food insecurity remains a major concern despite relatively high employment rates. Assessments indicate that a significant proportion of migrants continue to experience moderate to severe food insecurity. WFP addresses these challenges by promoting socioeconomic integration in urban areas, focusing on food security, sustainable livelihoods, and social cohesion through partnerships with government institutions and the private sector.
Between 2021 and 2025, the SLO programme in Colombia supported more than 7,000 individuals, the majority of whom were migrants, while also engaging host community members. The initiative provided employability training and supported the creation of small businesses through seed capital in sectors such as food, beauty, and retail. These efforts benefited over 28,000 people overall, contributing to improved household incomes and reduced dependence on humanitarian assistance. By the end of 2024, most supported businesses remained operational, and a significant share of participants had secured stable employment, indicating strong prospects for lasting self-reliance.
Looking ahead, WFP plans to scale up the SLO initiative in line with its 2026–2030 strategy. Future efforts will focus on expanding reach, improving targeting and monitoring of self-reliance outcomes, and strengthening partnerships with governments, UN agencies, financial institutions, and development actors to support durable solutions for refugees and host communities.
