Empowering communities to lead, participate, and sustain development Sustainable development requires more than delivering services it requires communities to have the skills, resources, leadership, and systems to shape and sustain their own development. OHRI’s Community Empowerment and Systems Strengthening pillar focuses on strengthening women, youth, persons with disabilities, and community-based organisations as active leaders in resilient and inclusive communities. By 2036, OHRI aims to build stronger local institutions, expand economic opportunities, increase meaningful participation in community decision-making, and strengthen partnerships between communities, civil society, government, and other development actors.
OUR 2036 AMBITION
👩 Women’s Economic Empowerment
OHRI will support women to build savings, livelihoods, enterprises, and stronger market connections.
2036 targets:
- Establish 300 Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs) with 10,000 women members.
- Train 5,000 women in income-generating skills, with a target of 60% progressing toward enterprise development.
- Link 2,000 women to markets and financial opportunities by 2034.
- Mobilise up to N100 million in VSLA savings.
- Support women entrepreneurs through skills training, starter toolkits, trade fairs, market connections, and access to finance.
👥 Youth Engagement & Employment
OHRI will equip young people with practical green skills, entrepreneurship opportunities, and pathways to meaningful community participation.
2036 targets:
- Train 2,000 youth in green enterprise skills, with a target of 50% employment among trained youth.
- Establish 50 youth-led social enterprises, targeting N5 million in revenue.
- Engage 5,000 youth volunteers, contributing at least 100,000 volunteer hours.
- Develop opportunities in areas including renewable energy, waste recycling, digital health information, agro-processing, and climate-smart agriculture.
OHRI will also provide practical training, apprenticeships, mentorship, enterprise incubation, and leadership development to help young people transition from training into employment and entrepreneurship.
♿ Disability Inclusion
OHRI is committed to ensuring that persons with disabilities are not left behind in community development and One Health programming.
2036 targets:
- Reach 10,000 persons with disabilities across OHRI programmes.
- Make 50 community facilities accessible by 2034.
- Train 200 disability inclusion champions by 2034.
- Adapt programme materials and service delivery approaches to improve accessibility.
- Support disability-inclusive community mobilisation, advocacy, and access to social protection.
OHRI will work with Disabled Persons Organisations and community disability committees to strengthen participation and ensure that programmes are accessible and responsive to diverse needs.
🏘️ Community Governance Strengthening
Strong community institutions are essential for sustaining development gains. OHRI will strengthen Community-Based Organisations (CBOs) to improve governance, financial management, accountability, programme delivery, and engagement with government.
2036 targets:
- Assess and support 200 Community-Based Organisations.
- Train 400 CBO leaders in governance and organisational management by 2034, with an 80% target for improved governance practices.
- Facilitate 50 CBO-government partnerships by 2034.
- Support communities and CBOs to access at least N10 million in funding.
- Develop organisational capacity-strengthening plans and provide practical governance tools for participating CBOs.
OHRI will help local organisations strengthen leadership structures, financial systems, strategic planning, accountability, and collaboration with Local Government Authorities and other institutions.
WHAT WE WILL INVEST IN
Women’s Economic Empowerment
VSLAs • Vocational Skills • Enterprise Development • Market Linkages • Financial Inclusion
Youth Skills & Green Employment
Green Skills • Apprenticeships • Social Enterprises • Enterprise Incubation • Youth Volunteering
Disability Inclusion
Accessible Services • Inclusive Training • Community Champions • Advocacy • Participation
Community Governance
CBO Capacity Building • Financial Management • Leadership Development • Government Partnerships • Institutional Strengthening
OUR 2036 IMPACT
10,000 women participating in VSLAs
5,000 women trained in income-generating skills
2,000 youth trained in green skills
50 youth-led enterprises established
5,000 youth volunteers engaged
10,000 persons with disabilities reached
50 community facilities made accessible
200 disability inclusion champions trained
200 CBOs assessed and supported
400 CBO leaders trained
50 CBO-government partnerships facilitated
Proposed Pillar 7 Fundraising Target
US$1.4 Million
This is a proposed fundraising target for Pillar 7 and is not a separate approved allocation in the Strategic Plan. OHRI’s Strategic Plan provides an overall ten-year resource requirement rather than separate budgets for each pillar.
OUR COMMITMENT
Empower People. Strengthen Institutions. Build Communities That Lead Their Own Development.
When women have economic opportunities, young people have pathways to employment, persons with disabilities can participate fully, and community organisations have the capacity to lead, communities become better equipped to withstand shocks and create lasting change.
Invest in People. Strengthen Local Systems. Build Sustainable Communities.