Highlights of the month – August 2015
- Mobilization of 1,403 new members (1,150 female & 253 male) 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 thec“Sustainable Livelihood Program III” in Keshindeh and Shortepa districts of Balkh province.
In order to build their capacities 4,139 members (72% female) trained in Group Management package and 6,205 members (70% female) trained in Micro Finance package.
- Formation of 742 (721 female & 21 male) new microenterprises in Dare-e-Suf Bala and Payan districts of Samangan province, Aqcha district of Jawzjan province and Shortepa district of Balkh province. As well as, 76 (64 female & 12 male) microenterprises those were already economically engaged in the market have expanded their enterprises in the above mentioned districts. All these microenterprises have resulted in creation of 771 jobs (96 % female).
- Number of 105 group members (77 female and 28 male) successfully completed different vocational skills trainings such as Embroidery and Livestock and Cake baking in Aqcha district of Jawzjan province and Dare-e- Suf Bala and Payan districts of Samangan province. While 29 members recently started receiving livestock rearing vocational skill training in Dare suf Payeen district of Samangan province.
- 708 eligible members (694 female & 14 male) received enterprise start-up toolkits in Aqcha and Dare-e-Suf Payen district. The toolkits provided support the members to start and grow their microenterprises in a selected sector. Meanwhile, 4 honey extractor machines procured and provided by HiH to beekeeping entrepreneurs in both Dara-e-Sufs and emplaced at four locations where major beekeeping entrepreneurs have access.
- Mentoring visits are continuously taking place to the enterprises established/enhanced by HiH Af technical staff, trainers and VEFs, As part of enterprises market linkage 29 members from 2 poultry CIGs of Dara-e-Sufs linked to the Mazar market for provision of raw materials, chicken and feeding stuff. They purchased 1,000 chickens for the 2 poultry farms with relevant necessary items and continued their poultry farming.
- 520 illiterate group members (385 female & 135 male) are receiving the Life Skills training under the “Supporting rural entrepreneurship and promoting women’s socio-economic empowerment” project in Dara-e-Suf Bala and Payan districts of Samangan province, and the “Sustainable Livelihood Program III” in Shortepa districts of Balkh province and “Improving Lives through Creation of Microenterprises and Jobs” in Aqcha district of Jawzjan province.
- Sum of AFN 496,335 recollected as repayments of EIF loan from groups during the month which has increased the repayment rate to 6 %.
- Sum of AFN 1,932,250 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 Balkhb, Sancharak and Gosfandi district of Sarepul province.
- 127 internal loans took place among the group members with a total value of AFN 779,880 in Dara-e-Suf Bala and Payan districts of Samangan province, Aqcha district of Jawzjan province and Shortepa and Keshendeh districts of Balkh province. Internal loans aim to utilize group savings accumulated by members for creation and expansion of microenterprises.
- Cross fertilization visit held among the group members in Dara-e-Suf Bala district of Samangan province and Aqcha district of Jawzjan province. The purpose was to exchange their experience and learn from the each other. Such exposure visits are very useful and can strengthen the established microenterprises and encourage other groups to invest and start their own microenterprises.
- For better synergy of operations in Dara-e-suf Districts of Samangan province a coordination meeting has taken place between the Swedish Committee for Afghanistan (SCA) and Hand in Hand Afghanistan. Following this meeting HiH Af staff have received Disability awareness and Advocacy training by the SCA trainers.
- Capacity building training for 32 HiH Af staff (19 female & 13 male) took place including district officers, district assistants and VEFs in Gosfandi and Shancharak districts of Sarepul province. This ToT enables the VEFs to deliver Microfinance training package to group members in the mentioned districts.
- A two-day technical ToT on poultry and beekeeping was conducted for the VEFs in Dara-e-Suf district so the VEFs during their regular visits to the districts could provide basic technical support to the micro entrepreneurs.
- Market linkage workshop was held for HiH Af senior staff at Mazar office. The workshop was facilitated by HiH Af Chairwoman and CEO which focused on building the capacity of relevant staff and tackling the challenges of marketing group’s products specially the handicrafts and finally the workshop came up with several solutions.