Summary of Activities, November 2014:
- Formation of 503 new microenterprises (210 female and 293 male) and expansion of existing 113 ones (46 female and 67 male) in Balkh province under SLP2 project which has resulted in creation of 862 jobs for (358 female and 504 male) community members.
- Sum of AFN 234,000 recollected as repayments of EIF loan from groups during the month of November 2014 which reflects a repayment rate of 73%.
- Sum of AFN 1,765,985 saved within the groups by members in Marmul, Sholgara and Kaldar districts of Balkh Province; Dara-e-Suf Bala and Dara-e-Suf Payan districts of Samangan province and Aqcha district of Jawzjan Province.
- 39 internal loans took place among the group members with a total value of AFN 542,900 in Marmul, Sholgara and Kaldar districts of Balkh Province; and Aqcha district of Jawzjan Province. Internal loans aim to utilize the group savings accumulated by members for creation and expansion of enterprises.
- 100 micro-entrepreneurs (85 female and 15 male) have been benefitted from business consultancy on the quality improvement and marketing of enterprises related to Agriculture, Tailoring, Wool spinning and Poultry in Marmul, Sholgara and Kaldar districts of Balkh province.
- Hand in Hand Afghanistan distributed 583 enterprise start-up toolkits to eligible members under SLP2 project in Balkh province. The toolkits are given to members who have completed a vocational skills training and have a business plan to setup a new enterprise or expand the existing ones. Availing the necessary tools for different types of enterprises such as agriculture, kitchen gardening, livestock, tailoring, fish farming and wool spinning have been supportive for generation of better income.
- 27 Village Enterprise Facilitators and Literacy Trainers (12 female and 15 male) have received ToT on Life Skills training, under Supporting Rural Entrepreneurship and Promoting Women’s Socio-economic Empowerment Project and started Life Skills Training for 283 illiterate group members in Samangan province.
- Four exposure visits conducted between female and male entrepreneurs in Sholgara district and it resulted to learn new skills and practices from each other and one group will start greenhouse soon.
- Hand in Hand Afghanistan held an Exhibition for the project Sustainable Livelihood Program. In this exhibition representatives from Provincial Office, Provincial Council, Women Department, district officials and local people participated. Products from poultry farms, honey production, greenhouses, dairy, tailoring, fish farms and wool spinning produced by microenterprises under the Sustainable Livelihood Program were put on exhibition. This exhibition served as a good marketing opportunity.
- 160 Entrepreneurs under ODOP project have received a month long training on the four topics of Enterprise Group Management training. Training conducted at the project office as well as the villages at the group premises in different batches, each batch comprises of 5 – 25 members.
- Four Enterprise Groups Associations established under ODOP project, two in Parwan and two in Herat Province. Association Executive Body has been selected and Constitution established.
- Hand in Hand Afghanistan distributed 32 toolkits to the Enterprise Groups for improving the value of their marketable products. Toolkits for vegetable products include; Solar Dryer Machine, Plastic baskets, Tray and labels for packing and Toolkits for Dairy products include; Cup Sealing Machine, Generator, Plastic Cups, Tray and labels.
