According to UNHCR “After fleeing war or persecution, the opportunity to work and earn a living is one of the most effective ways people can rebuild their lives in dignity and peace”.
UNHCR helps the displaced to achieve self-reliance by building their skills and knowledge, as well as providing access to the resources, training, assets, inputs, services and markets they need.

“Access to safe and sustainable energy is a basic human need. Without it, the forcibly displaced – particularly women and children – may be at increased risk and have less time to rebuild their lives”.
In 2014, UNHCR launched a global strategy for Safe Access to Fuels and Energy (SAFE). The SAFE strategy offers crucial guidance and details innovative approaches and technologies, including clean or fuel-efficient cookers, alternative and sustainable fuels, and solar-powered lighting.

Photo Credit: Marco Marche

In the next months Gnucoop will work with UNHCR DIST (Division of Information Systems and Telecommunications), and its business partner Operational Solutions and Transitions Section (OSTS), to extend the new Twine monitoring base platform, to include the Energy and Livelihoods programme sectors.

As UNHCR DIST mentioned in the Concept Note: “There are several advantages to extending the Twine base platform. It will facilitate end-user/stakeholder access to important operational and decision-making data via a shared portal. Additionally, it will also extend our investment by leveraging a common infrastructure and user management”.