Highlights of the month – June 2015
- 5,439 new members (3,846 female & 1,593 male) mobilized in to groups under “Reducing poverty and gender inequality by improving household income and financial resilience through enterprise and job creation” project in Sancharak, Gosfandi and Balkhab districts of Sarepul province and the “Sustainable Livelihood Program III” in Keshindeh and Shortepa districts of Balkh province.
- Formation of 852 (516 female & 336 male) new microenterprises in Dare-e-Suf Bala and Payan districts of Samangan province and Aqcha district of Jawzjan province and Shortepa district of Balkh province. As well as, 19 female microenterprises those were already economically engaged in the market have expanded their enterprises. All these microenterprises have resulted in creation of 1,271 jobs (60.5 % female).
- Number of 665 group members (600 female and 65 male) successfully completed different vocational skills trainings such as Poultry, Tailoring, Wool spinning, and Beekeeping in Dare-e- Suf Bala and Payan districts of Samangan province. These trainings are fundamental for starting and growing businesses.
- 794 enterprise start-up toolkits were distributed to 460 female & 334 male eligible members in Dara-e-Suf Bala and Payan districts of Samangan province. The toolkits are small grant-based asset transfers, aimed at catalyzing enterprise growth. The toolkits provide a majority of inputs and tools required to grow businesses in a selected sector, conditional upon business plans, completed vocational skills training and complementary contributions from the individual members. Mentoring visits are continuing to the enterprises established/enhanced by HiH Af technical staff, trainers and VEFs, and during the month one checking rearing CIG from Aqcha district is linked to the market and poultry farmers from both Dara-e-Suf Bala and Payan are linked to Mazar poultry market to access feed and medicine.
- Under “Supporting rural entrepreneurship and promoting women’s socio-economic empowerment” project in Dara-e-Suf Bala and Payan districts of Samangan province 1,553 illiterate group members (878 female & 675 male) have successfully graduated from Life Skills training and have received graduation certificates from HiH Af. The life skills trainings have been offered on needs basis to members for a period of 6 month. It has covered a wide range of topics including enterprises, skills, social awareness, hygiene & health, environment, knowing oneself, human rights, the country and culture, etc. Therefore, the training besides enabling members to read, write and do basic calculation it also increases their awareness in the above areas. The life skills classes started during December 2014 and Hand in Hand Afghanistan has provided the participants with a text book and the required stationery, while the community has actively taken part by providing rooms for classes with no cost. The trainings have positively contributed in achieving the outputs of the program.
- Sum of AFN 353,656 recollected as repayments of EIF loan from groups during the month which has increased the repayment rate to 1 %.
- Sum of AFN 1,057,300 saved within the groups by members in Dara-e-Suf Bala and Payan districts of Samangan province, Aqcha district of Jawzjan province, Shortepa and Keshindeh districts of Balkh province and Gosfandi district of Sarepul province.
- 100 internal loans took place among the group members with a total value of AFN 422,550 in Dara-e-Suf Bala and Payan districts of Samangan province, Aqcha district of Jawzjan province and Shortepa district of Balkh province. Internal loans aim to utilize group savings accumulated by members for creation and expansion of microenterprises.
- Capacity building training conducted for 26 participants (17 female & 9 male) including the District Officers, District Assistants and VEFs and community volunteers in Sanchark and Gosfandi Districts of Sarepul Province. The training aimed to familiarize the participants to HiH network, HiH Afghanistan, its vision and mission, and the HiH implementation model. The training also included effective communication skills and community mobilization skills. The above mentioned staff also received ToT on Module 01, the Group Management for SHGs and CIGs formation and administration. As well as 16 participants (10 female & 6 male) consisting of District Officer, District Assistant, VEFs of Keshendeh district and 8 (4 female &4 male) of Shortepa district of Balkh province trained on Module 02, Microfinance package
- 2 HiH Af Vocational Trainers received technical training on apiculture/ beekeeping which was facilitated by Department of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock in Mazar-e-Sharif. The training was conducted for two days facilitated by trainers from MAIL that focused on technical aspects of beekeeping.
- Monitors from Jawzjan Department of the Economy Directorate, Labor Social Affairs Martyrs and Disables directorate, Women Affairs Department and District Governor’s Office representatives monitored HiH Af project activities in Aqcha district of Jawzjan Province. Based on their feedback they were happy with the .progress and appreciated HiH Af for the achievements and extended their further support in the future.
