UWV has chosen to focus its programs within post-conflict environments and vulnerable communities. These communities and the individuals within these environments have unique needs resulting from the erosion of human dignity and the destruction of the social fabric that normally binds individuals within their communities. Poverty and despair characterize these environments.
Unlike other regions of extreme poverty, however, those that have been ravaged by war or are particularly vulnerable require much more than basic education and economic opportunity to build secure livelihoods. These communities and individuals also require a range of additional interventions involving integrated capacity development at the human and community level to re-build hope and create the positive environment for change. Psychological and social support, peace building and reconciliation, trust development, re-integration support, and long term mentoring are critical. Programs supporting these communities must be prepared for a longer commitment of time and resources, often incompatible with traditional donor and funding processes. UWV is structured for and prepared to deliver programs of this nature.
The post-conflict environments in which UWV delivers its programs are characterized by complexity and chaos. Solutions are not simple and interdependent relationships and conditions complicate the potential for immediate and sustainable impact. UWV programs are designed to effectively function under these conditions; while being consistently focussed on long term improvements in well-being, they are simultaneously designed to be targeted, incremental, and agile. A robust process of continuous monitoring, evaluation, and re-assessment is conducted to refine programs and make adjustments as lessons are learned or local conditions change.