EIIP was used to construct the country's first public satellite TVET centre in a refugee-hosting area, Kebribeyah, in Somali Regional State. It creates jobs for refugees and host community members during the construction of the centre itself, while also providing vocational training to local students who would otherwise have to travel long distances for TVET training. EIIP was also used to rehabilitate roads, incorporating cobblestone technology linked to TVET training and trial contracts for TVET graduates in Kebribeyah. Moreover, the approach was used to construct detention ponds for cattle and a milk collection/cooling facility as part of the dairy value chain.

PROSPECTS focused on green works (irrigation, waste management, afforestation), rehabilitating TVET and youth centres in Dohuk and Nineveh. Young engineers from refugee and host communities were trained and employed, notably using digital tools for EIIP site monitoring. EIIP sites served as practical training grounds for TVET students and engineers, with participants also referred to business development and employment services. In some cases, PROSPECTS in Iraq also involved trade unions, whereby they were able to solve issues regarding decent work, in partnership with the government.

The programme in Kenya partnered with the government of Turkana County to rehabilitate roads using cobblestone technology and develop a related TVET course on cobblestone installation and maintenance at the Lodwar Vocational Training Centre. The programme also applied EIIP to strengthen the camel-milk value chain by restoring water systems and to manage the invasive species, Prosopis Juliflora. After applying a labour intensive approach to clear Prosopis plants and rehabilitate land with indigenous trees, the programme supported value addition by processing Prosopis into charcoal and animal feed. purpose community centres inside refugee settlements, which provided employment services to the settlement’s residents.

EIIP was introduced as a rapid response mechanism following the 2020 Beirut blast, making the most of existing ILO capacity in the country and repurposing PROSPECTS funds. The work engaged refugee and host community youth in rubble removal and street clearing in the immediate aftermath of the blast, showing solidarity with the host community and contributing to recovery. In this case, the repurposing of funds to support the EIIP response also demonstrated the agility of both the ILO and the donor (the Netherlands), who were both willing to expedite approval processes to serve a clear and immediate need. Later, the programme applied EIIP to support the national Green Plan in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture and the Lebanese Reforestation Initiative. Fence walls, land reclamation and the rehabilitation of water reservoirs supported 153 farmers in Akkar and North Lebanon. This fed into and complemented the programme’s broader focus on the agriculture sector in Lebanon, which was the main employer of refugees and vulnerable Lebanese. 

EIIP primarily focused on constructing and rehabilitating critical water and health facilities in remote, conflict-affected, and refugee-hosting areas. The goal was to address essential infrastructure needs while creating short-term jobs and building local capacity among contractors and government representatives. Local Economic Development Committees (LEDCs) played a unique role in navigating approvals, monitoring sites and helping ensure the continuation of essential services even during conflict. EIIP work continued to be applied after the programme changed geographical target areas following the outbreak of conflict in 2023. This supported construction of classrooms, shelters and wash facilities in the Kassala State and White Nile. A joint infrastructure needs assessment was carried out with UNHCR and UNICEF to prioritize community needs in the new project areas. 

The ILO and UNHCR joined forces to address the limited community services, including vocational training and mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) available inside the Nakivale and Rhino refugee settlements. They used the EIIP approach to construct three community centres and WASH facilities, thereby generating work and income for refugees living in the settlements. They also incorporated MHPSS counselling, employment and skills development services within the centres themselves. As part of the construction work,13 local contractors – including two refugee-run construction businesses – from Isingiro, Arua, Madi-Okollo and Terego were trained in an EIIP approach, as a first step in building a pool of locally qualified contractors. At the district level, the programme advocated for the use of locally recruited labour in labour intensive public works. In partnership with the Omugo Vocational Institute and Nakivale Vocational Institute, PROSPECTS also used the community centres to facilitate, on a trial basis, skills recognition processes for 114 former MHPSS clients referred by UNHCR.