2022 - 2025

The Emergency Social Protection Enhancement and COVID-19 Response Project “ESPECRP – Additional Financing” in Yemen aims to improve the economic situation through several interventions in sectors crucial for community livelihoods and economic recovery. The project, funded by the World Bank and implemented by SMEPS in partnership with UNDP, aims to foster economic resilience in MSMEs and associations through capacity-building, business continuity trainings, and the provision of essential assets. This will create over 15,000 job opportunities and enhance targeted communities’ livelihoods including women and internally displaced persons.

This project will target various different groups including key value chain players in dairy and agriculture sectors, youth entrepreneurs and startups, refugees and rural areas midwives. The approach combines value chain design principles, creating sustainable linkages in key value chains, instilling entrepreneurship spirit in youth and supporting Business Management Associations (BMOs). This is crucial to strengthen the gaps in the value chains, and sustain their social and economic impacts including introducing new products, creating new markets, sustaining demand for products and services at affordable prices, and strengthening access to food and health services to rural populations.

It is worth noting that ESPECRP – Additional Financing includes “Geo-Bundling” approach which is a new method for ensuring collaboration and coordination between the World Bank, UN agencies, and local NGOs. This approach aims to concentrate interventions in targeted regions for maximum impact. In addition, it will also work toward community participation enhancing local transparency, accountability, social cohesion, and resilience to community and project-based conflicts. 

One of SMEPS's core missions is to prioritize the strengthening of supply chains by implementing diverse interventions across related sectors. This approach aims to enhance the economic resilience of targeted communities, achieve sustainability, and drive sectoral transformation for their long-term benefit.

• Targeted Governorates:

Taiz, Hadhramout, Sana’a, Aden, Al-Hodeida, Dhamar.

• Sectors:

Livestock, agriculture, private sector, MSMEs, associations, entrepreneurs, midwives, and refugees.

• Planned Beneficiaries: 

Livestock breeders                                                        160
Farmers                                                                          400
Supply Chains                                                                130
Food cooperatives                                                         120
Business Association                                                      30
Entrepreneurs                                                                 500 

• Project Value:

$11.3 Million