ALTNET Program

From its start in October 2000, IRD has been actively cooperating with local NGO partners and Municipal Advisory Councils (MACs) in 16 municipalities across Serbia implementing a USAID-funded “Distribution of Humanitarian Assistance in Serbia via Alternative Networks” or “Alt-Net” program. The MACs are made up of municipal government representatives, social service providers, church representatives, trade union members, the Red Cross, Commissioner of Refugees, local NGOs, business sector representatives and IRD. Their role is to promote a mechanism that supports community leaders in their efforts to address the growing needs of the population with humanitarian aid, while also establishing a structure that will be able to identify and implement future development programs.

By October 2001, IRD distributed more than 42,000 family food parcels and 50,200 other humanitarian aid items such as newborn and school kits, hygiene parcels, blankets and clothing. Through AltNet , IRD has assisted more than 270,000 beneficiaries throughout Serbia

Beneficiaries of this assistance include pensioners, social welfare cases, disabled persons, single mothers, refugees from Bosnia-Herzegovina andCroatia, internally displaced persons (IDPs) from Kosovo, as well as other vulnerable groups that fall through the gaps of other assistance programs. In addition to USAID, donors who have provided these relief items include Church World Service, Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints and Lutheran World Relief.

In October 2001, IRD launched a Pilot Income Generation Project (IGP) under the AltNet program. IRD provides capital inputs to help start-up or expand the capacity of microenterprises and small businesses, assisting vulnerable populations to increase their livelihood security and become more self-reliant.

World Food Programme (WFP) joined in partnership with IRD for this AltNet Pilot IGP component and provided family food parcels as limited term salary supplements for workers participating in the income generation projects.

By the end of August 2002, IRD supported 145 microenterprises and 10 small businesses throughout 16 municipalities, creating 416 immediate new jobs. As these businesses mature and grow an additional estimated 380 new jobs will be created over an 18-month period creating a total of 800 new jobs as a result of AltNet’s pilot project activities.

In September of 2002, IRD received funding to continue the AltNet Small Business Development Program for another year. The program will focus on refugees and IDPs who wish to remain in Serbia

Over the next year of activities, IRD’s goal is to assist and support 350 new and expanding microenterprises, 30 small businesses, and 60 youth apprentices, creating an estimated 1,145 new jobs. Program activities will continue to provide in-kind grants of capital inputs (on a social loan basis) to start-up or expand existing businesses. Grants valued at $500 to $1,000 will be provided to microenterprise and grants valued at $2,000 to $4,000 will be provided to viable small businesses. IRD will also provide business management training and technical skills training as well as facilitate the forming of informal business marketing associations capable of impacting market barriers, establishing economies of scale and developing viable business networks. To encourage vulnerable refugee and IDP youth to learn a marketable trade skill, IRD will implement an apprenticeship program in which disadvantaged young adults will be paired with skilled artisans to learn a new trade. IRD will prioritize the inclusion of vulnerable refugee and IDP women in all appropriate income generating activities. Supported women entrepreneurs will receive gendered-focus training aimed at building self-confidence, problem solving and solidarity.

IRD continues the ongoing humanitarian aid distribution component of the AltNet program as well. IRD has received contributions worth $750,000 of in-kind commodities in the form of blankets, school kits, baby layettes, medical modules and hygiene kits. These commodities are in critical need in many of the refugee and IDP communities that fall through the gaps of other assistance programs.