Key Points for ADB Learning Event
Question Key Points from BRAC
1. What is the
significance of
highlighting sustainable
livelihoods for resiliency
building amid the COVID-
19 pandemic?
2. Why should social
assistance combined
with poverty reduction
interventions (such as
tailored skills training,
livelihood development,
life-skills coaching) be a
foundation in tackling
multiple facets of
poverty?
● Sustainable livelihoods help build resilience to withstand
and recover from shocks
● They bring in more resources for the households that
would help them counter the effects of shocks such as the
COVID-19 pandemic.
● Sustainable livelihoods does not only mean a steady
income source; it provides households with additional or
diversified sources of income to help build their economic
resiliency, especially when there are problems in the
market or the environment that affect the operations and
profitability of the livelihood.
● In the DOLE pilot, participants were able to launch
sustainable livelihoods and generate income, even during
the quarantine period imposed due to COVID-19.
○ 73.3% of group livelihoods and 59.5% of individual
livelihoods provided by the pilot remained fully
operational as of September 2020 despite the COVID-
19 pandemic.
○ 55% earned an income of at least Php6,000 in the last
30 days, excluding Pantawid cash transfers. This
elevates them above the monthly food threshold of
the poverty line.
● Poverty is often defined by income measures (i.e. income
below 1.90USD/ day), but this alone does not capture the
multiple dimensions of poverty.
● Interventions need to be attuned to specific needs and
vulnerabilities of the poor to address the multiple facets
of poverty. The Graduation approach uses four core pillars
of social protection, livelihoods promotion, financial
inclusion, and social empowerment to provide holistic
interventions to address multidimensional poverty.
● Addressing the multiple facets of poverty requires a
comprehensive, multi-dimensional, and sequenced set of
interventions to create a big 'big push' to proper the poor
from poverty.
● Poverty reduction interventions should not only address
income poverty but also address other aspects of
household welfare such as access to health, education,
and nutrition.
3. Since we are working ● Robust evidence is critical
on a more evidence- ○ because resources are limited
based approach, why is ○ now more than ever before, there is an urgency to act
robust evidence from ○ robust evidence from around the world expands our
around the world (kindly knowledge and evidence beyond a certain country or
also give a short certain context and opens the door to broader
overview of one study) , learnings
including the success of ○ to leverage proven knowledge to inform next steps
the DOLE pilot ○ to ensure that projects are well-informed (the best
implementation, so they can be) and make evidence-based decisions
important to confirm the ○ to help ensure that the impacts of a project last
sustainability of the beyond the duration of the project.
impacts? ● The DOLE Graduation pilot was implemented by DOLE in
partnership with ADB and BRAC UPGI and targeted 1,800
4Ps households in Negros Occidental. It provided
households with a comprehensive and sequenced set of
interventions, placing them on an upward trajectory into
sustainable and resilient livelihoods.
● On average, 71% of the pilot households met each of the
contextually-specific Graduation criteria spanning the four
pillars of Graduation in social protection, livelihoods
promotion, financial inclusion, and social empowerment,
indicating their readiness to ‘graduate’ from the pilot and
continue on an upward trajectory from poverty.
● Pilot participants reported knowledge retention on life
skills training topics, leading to positive behavior change
in health, nutrition, and hygiene practices.
● Participants were also able to launch sustainable
livelihoods and generate income, even during the
quarantine period imposed due to COVID-19.
● Pilot participants also demonstrated increased savings
and positive behavior change in financial management.

4. How can sustainability ● Sustainability of Graduation Approach in the government

of the Graduation can be achieved through the following mechanisms:
Approach be ensured in ● 1) integrate the Graduation Approach in existing
the government? government programs, similar to how we are currently
testing it by integrating it in the Sustainable Livelihoods
Program
● 2) Integrating elements of Graduation Approach that
make it effective to strengthen government programs
such as
○ strengthening partnerships between NGAs (such as
DSWD, TESDA, DTI, and DA), LGU, and other support
services to link locally available resources;
○ strengthening the capacity of frontline staff to do case
management, provide hands-on support, and
monitoring;
○ strengthening guidance on livelihood management
strategies and diversification of income;
○ implementing localized market assessments in
livelihood projects to determine appropriate menu of
livelihood options; and
○ utilizing digital monitoring and digital management
information system (MIS) to allow real-time data
analysis so that staff can be more responsive to
participant needs.