The Livelihoods and Food Security Technical Assistance (LIFT) project improves the ability of at-risk households — particularly those affected by HIV and AIDS — to access adequate and appropriate food. FHI 360’s LIFT project focuses on strengthening livelihoods and linking food security to sustainable market-led economic activities. The project works to heighten the impact of other organizations and investments in food security, such as those made by the U.S. Agency for International Development, the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, Feed the Future, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Peace Corps and their implementing organizations. LIFT provides customized, high-impact assistance in five distinct areas.

Mapping and assessment

LIFT assists U.S. government country offices in assessing livelihoods and food security within both country and regional contexts. Using data obtained from mapping and assessment exercises, LIFT aids country teams in developing strategic plans to address existing gaps and facilitate scale-up of promising practices.

Establishing and facilitating linkages

LIFT advises country teams in establishing and facilitating linkages that connect individuals in care and treatment or food security programs to economic strengthening opportunities. LIFT technical assistance includes support in establishing or strengthening existing referral and wrap-around mechanisms between clinic and community services.

Monitoring and evaluation support

At the program, clinic and community levels, LIFT helps develop tools to assess client needs and track client referrals, follow-up and continuum of care. LIFT builds capacity to use these tools and provides assistance to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of linkages and support programs.

Capacity building

LIFT assesses capacity building needs at both the U.S. government and implementing partner level, designs and delivers appropriate strategies, conducts economic strengthening workshops and facilitates cross-sectoral communication.

Global perspective

LIFT facilitates south-to-south learning, employing a synergistic approach to address common issues. In its role as a provider of global technical assistance, LIFT draws from a compendium of documented best practices to aid regional cross-fertilization of knowledge and learning.