April 2015, Summary of Activities:
- Formation of 274 (119 female & 155 male) new microenterprise in Dar-e-Suf Bala and Payan districts of Samangan province and Aqcha district of Jawzjan province. While 33 (23 female & 10 male) microenterprises those were already economically engaged in the market, have expanded and all these microenterprises have resulted in creation of 444 (202 female and 242 male) jobs.
- 1,857 group members (1,254 female and 603 male) successfully completed different vocational skills training in Aqcha district of Jawzjan province and Dare-e- suf Bala and Payan of Samangan province. The capacity of members in the fields of Poultry, Tailoring, Wool Spinning, Beekeeping, Spicy Afghan Semian cooking (fried noodles) and hand waving is built. These trainings are fundamental for starting and growing a business.
- Hand in Hand Afghanistan has distributed 258 enterprise start-up toolkits to eligible members in Aqcha District of Jawzjan province. These toolkits provide the necessary tools and inputs to start or enhance microenterprises for members who have successfully completed the vocational skills trainings and have developed business plans. These toolkits have resulted in creation of 258 new microenterprises.
- 1,833 (1,092 female & 741 male) illiterate group members are currently undergoing life skills training in Dare-e-Suf Bala and Payan districts of Samangan province and Aqcha district of Jawzjan province. These classes started in 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.
- Sum of AFN 95,000 recollected as repayments of EIF loan from groups during the month which has increased the repayment rate to 84%.
- Sum of AFN 679,30 saved within the groups by members in Dara-e-Suf Bala and Payan districts of Samangan province and Aqcha district of Jawzjan province.
- 100 internal loans took place among the group members with a total value of AFN 559,400 in Dara-e-Suf Bala and Payan districts of Samangan province and Aqcha district of Jawzjan province. Internal loans aim to utilize the group savings accumulated by members for creation and expansion of enterprises.
- Representative of two female SHGs of Wahdat and Asal from Sholgara visited from Rabia Balkhi women market in Mazar City of Balkh province, the purpose behind was to market their products. Their handicraft products met the market demand and agreed on mutual work of provision of products for selling.
- Capacity building training conducted for 12 participants (5 female & 7 male) including the newly hired District Officer, District Assistant, VEFs and none HiH Af employee who will serve as backup in Shortepa district of Balkh Province. The training aimed to familiarize the participants to HiH network, HiH Afghanistan, its vision and mission, and the HiH model. The training also included effective communication skills and community mobilization skills. These staff also received the ToT of Module 01- Group Management for SHGs and CIGs formation and administration.
- The mobilization and outreach of 22 community CDCs, DDA and government related sectors completed in four clusters in Keshindeh district as following: 1st cluster in Keshenda Bala and Keshendah Payeen, 2nd cluster in centre of Aqkobrok, 3rd cluster in Qara Bayi and 4th cluster in Jamak villages. As the second step, the group formation has started in Shortepa district of Balkh province that resulted in formation of 4 female groups comprising 55 members.
- European Union Delegation office hosted a one-day local trader’s bazaar exhibition at Kabul on 10th April 2015. The Hand in Hand Afghanistan representatives were invited to represent the female entrepreneurs’ products at the event due to high recommendation on their products. The exhibition opened to wider ring of international and national diplomats, donors, governmental, non-governmental organizations communities. Based on the positive practice and lessons learnt, the products were customized to meet the demand of the visitors.