RFPs: Refugee Self-Reliance, Graduation and Economic Inclusion (Rwanda)

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is inviting Expressions of Interest (EOIs) from qualified organizations to join a partner roster for future refugee self-reliance, graduation, and economic inclusion programmes in Rwanda. The initiative seeks experienced organizations capable of delivering sustainable livelihood solutions through employment, entrepreneurship, financial inclusion, enterprise development, and partnerships that help refugees and host communities achieve long-term economic independence.

About the UNHCR Refugee Economic Inclusion Partner Roster

The UNHCR Refugee Economic Inclusion Partner Roster is designed to identify qualified organizations that can support future programmes promoting economic self-reliance among refugees and host communities in Rwanda.

Rather than providing only short-term humanitarian assistance, the initiative emphasizes sustainable economic opportunities that enable refugees to generate income, build assets, access financial services, and integrate into Rwanda’s national economy.

Selected organizations will become part of a partner roster that may be considered for future UNHCR economic inclusion and livelihoods interventions.

Programme Objectives

The partnership aims to:

Promote refugee self-reliance and long-term economic resilience.
Support sustainable employment and self-employment opportunities.
Strengthen graduation pathways from humanitarian assistance to economic independence.
Improve household income, assets, and food security.
Increase access to financial services and productive assets.
Strengthen refugee-owned and host community businesses.
Promote inclusive local economic development.
Encourage collaboration between humanitarian actors, government institutions, and the private sector.

Key Focus Areas

The programme supports interventions across multiple areas of economic inclusion, including:

Employment and Livelihoods

Wage employment
Job placement
Apprenticeships
Employability enhancement
Career coaching

Self-Employment and Entrepreneurship

Business start-up support
Enterprise development
Business coaching
Business mentoring
Market expansion

Financial Inclusion

Access to savings and credit
Financial literacy
Access to financial service providers
Productive asset development
Access to finance

Market Systems Development

Market access
Value chain development
Buyer linkages
Cooperative engagement
Private-sector partnerships

Graduation Programming

Household graduation pathways
Socio-economic profiling
Household coaching
Case management
Referral services

Supported Activities

Organizations may implement activities such as:

Socio-economic household profiling
Graduation assessments
Household coaching
Individual case management
Referral to specialized services
Business development services
Enterprise creation and growth
Job matching and placement
Apprenticeship programmes
Business incubation support
Market linkage facilitation
Access to financial institutions
Income monitoring
Business performance monitoring
Protection outcome monitoring

Who Is Eligible?

The opportunity is intended for organizations with demonstrated expertise in:

Refugee livelihoods
Economic inclusion
Graduation approaches
Self-reliance programming
Employment promotion
Enterprise development
Humanitarian and development programming

Organizations should possess strong technical capacity and experience in designing and implementing sustainable economic inclusion programmes.

Eligibility Requirements

Applicants should demonstrate:

Expertise in livelihoods and economic inclusion programming.
Experience supporting refugee self-reliance.
Proven graduation approach implementation.
Capacity to connect refugees with employment opportunities.
Experience supporting self-employment and entrepreneurship.
Strong relationships with employers and private-sector partners.
Experience working with financial institutions.
Collaboration with value-chain actors and buyers.
Coordination with government ministries, districts, and economic development agencies in Rwanda.
Qualified technical and field staff.
Strong project management systems.
Local operational presence.
Community engagement capacity.
Financial management systems.
Risk management systems.
Organizational resource contributions.
Previous experience with UNHCR and/or other United Nations agencies is considered an advantage.

What Makes a Strong Economic Inclusion Programme?

UNHCR is seeking organizations that move beyond short-term assistance by creating sustainable livelihood opportunities.

Strong programmes should:

Connect refugees with long-term employment.
Support viable business creation and growth.
Improve household resilience.
Strengthen local market systems.
Expand financial inclusion.
Encourage private-sector engagement.
Promote social inclusion alongside economic participation.

Why This Partnership Matters

Economic inclusion is a critical component of durable refugee solutions.

By strengthening livelihoods and reducing dependency on humanitarian assistance, the programme helps:

Improve refugee resilience.
Increase household income.
Strengthen local economies.
Promote peaceful coexistence between refugees and host communities.
Expand access to employment and entrepreneurship.
Support national development goals in Rwanda.

The initiative also strengthens partnerships between humanitarian organizations, government agencies, businesses, cooperatives, financial institutions, and development partners.

How to Apply

Organizations interested in joining the partner roster should prepare a comprehensive application demonstrating their technical expertise and organizational capacity.

Step 1: Review Eligibility

Confirm that your organization has relevant experience in:

Refugee livelihoods
Economic inclusion
Graduation programming
Enterprise development
Employment services

Step 2: Prepare Organizational Documentation

Applicants should compile documentation demonstrating:

Organizational profile
Technical expertise
Previous project experience
Qualified personnel
Financial management systems
Risk management procedures
Local operational presence
Community engagement mechanisms

Step 3: Demonstrate Technical Capacity

Clearly explain your organization’s experience with:

Employment services
Business development
Market systems
Financial inclusion
Graduation programming
Private-sector partnerships

Step 4: Highlight Partnerships

Describe existing collaborations with:

Employers
Financial institutions
Cooperatives
Business incubators
Chambers of commerce
Government ministries
Local authorities

Step 5: Submit the Expression of Interest

Complete and submit all required application materials according to UNHCR’s partner application procedures.

Selection Criteria

Applications will be evaluated based on:

Sector expertise and experience.
Project management capacity.
Local operational experience and presence.
Cost effectiveness.
Contribution of partner resources.
Previous UNHCR or United Nations experience.
Technical capacity.
Qualified staffing.
Protection-sensitive programming.
Coordination ability.
Community engagement.
Accountability systems.
Financial management.
Risk management.
Ability to deliver sustainable refugee economic inclusion programmes.

Tips for Preparing a Competitive Application

To strengthen your submission:

Demonstrate measurable livelihood outcomes from previous projects.
Highlight partnerships with employers and financial institutions.
Provide evidence of successful enterprise development programmes.
Explain how interventions promote long-term self-reliance.
Include realistic monitoring and evaluation systems.
Showcase community engagement and protection-sensitive programming.
Present strong financial and risk management practices.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Avoid the following:

Focusing primarily on short-term training without employment outcomes.
Providing insufficient evidence of economic inclusion expertise.
Weak partnerships with private-sector stakeholders.
Missing organizational documentation.
Limited explanation of graduation approaches.
Inadequate monitoring and accountability systems.
Poor demonstration of local operational capacity.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Who can apply for the UNHCR partner roster?

Organizations with demonstrated expertise in refugee livelihoods, graduation programming, economic inclusion, employment, enterprise development, and self-reliance interventions are eligible to apply.

What is the purpose of the partner roster?

The roster identifies qualified organizations that may partner with UNHCR in future refugee economic inclusion and self-reliance programmes in Rwanda.

What types of activities are supported?

Activities include employment support, business development, financial inclusion, household coaching, case management, market access, apprenticeships, enterprise development, and graduation programming.

Is previous experience with UNHCR required?

Previous experience with UNHCR or other United Nations agencies is advantageous but is only one of several evaluation criteria.

What partnerships should applicants demonstrate?

Organizations should demonstrate collaboration with employers, financial institutions, value-chain actors, cooperatives, business support organizations, government institutions, and economic development partners.

How will applications be evaluated?

UNHCR will assess sector expertise, technical capacity, project management, local presence, financial management, risk management, accountability systems, community engagement, protection-sensitive programming, and previous implementation experience.

Why is economic inclusion important for refugees?

Economic inclusion enables refugees to earn sustainable incomes, build assets, reduce dependence on humanitarian assistance, strengthen resilience, and contribute positively to local economies and national development.

Conclusion

The UNHCR Refugee Economic Inclusion Partner Roster in Rwanda offers experienced organizations an opportunity to contribute to long-term refugee self-reliance and sustainable economic development. By supporting employment, entrepreneurship, financial inclusion, and market integration, the initiative aims to create lasting opportunities for refugees and host communities while strengthening resilience, promoting social inclusion, and supporting Rwanda’s broader development objectives.