Swisscontact, with the support from the UK Government, has launched the Building Livelihoods and Opportunities for Optimised Markets (BLOOM) Program. The program aims to strengthen the resilience of vulnerable households, businesses, and communities affected by the ongoing war.
Funded by the UK Government through UK Aid, the program is implemented by the international humanitarian organization Mercy Corps in partnership with the International Rescue Committee (IRC), Swisscontact, and the Ukrainian NGO Right to Protection (R2P).
The BLOOM Program aims to contribute to Ukraine’s recovery by promoting inclusive economic growth and sustainable livelihoods in war-affected regions. Its goals are to strengthen the resilience of households and small businesses, expand access to decent work, and enable communities to rebuild their local economies. Beneficiaries include households, women, internally displaced persons (IDPs) and returnees, people with war-related disabilities, veterans, individuals aged 50+, national minorities, members of the LGBTQ+ community, and small business owners whose livelihoods have been disrupted by the war.
The program will run until March 2026 across eight regions: Chernihiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Kharkiv, Kherson, Mykolaiv, Odesa, Sumy, and Zaporizhzhia.
Expected results include:
Swisscontact focuses its activities in the Kharkiv, Mykolaiv, and Dnipropetrovsk regions, delivering skills training for 450 individuals - with at least 70% participation by women.
Applying a market systems development (MSD) approach, Swisscontact identifies growth sectors and addresses systemic barriers that limit participation. The program combines short-term livelihood support with long-term, market-based solutions to ensure sustainability beyond donor funding. Through targeted skills training, BLOOM enables participants to integrate into value chains and access new income opportunities. Its holistic approach connects humanitarian assistance with economic recovery, creating sustainable pathways for self-reliance and local stability.
BLOOM stands as a transitional program that connects relief with economic recovery, helping Ukrainians transform today’s challenges into tomorrow’s opportunities. Together with its partners, Swisscontact contributes to a future where communities can rebuild with dignity, confidence, and hope.