2016.05.19_2nd_pro-act_wkshp_-_cww_presentation.pptx

2016.05.19_2nd_pro-act_wkshp_-_cww_presentation.pptx

• 1.
  European Union /South Sudan Cooperation Funded by the European Union Government of South Sudan EU Pro-Resilience Action (PRO-ACT) FOOD SECURITY THEMATIC PROGRAMME CRISIS PREVENTION AND POST-CRISIS RESPONSE STRATEGY PROJECTS GREATER UPPER NILE (GUN) AND GREATER BAHR EL GHAZAL (GBEG) INTER-REGIONAL THEMATIC WORKSHOP
• 2.
  Funded by The EuropeanUnion Name of Presenter: Lewis Karienyeh Agency: Concern Worldwide Contract Reference: Project: Implementation of SORUDEV Smallholders' Component in Bahr el Ghazal State EU Pro- Resilience Action (PRO-ACT) Juba, 24 - 25 May 2016 Outline - Purpose of workshop - Presentations - Background of SORUDEV - Goals & objectives - VSLAs - Approach - Progress - Lessons Learnt - Challenges - Workshop theme Greater Upper Nile (GUN) and Greater Bahr el Ghazal (GBEG) Inter-regional Thematic Workshop WORKSHOP THEME Transitioning from emergency response to resilience building: is it working ? Two-day information sharing and learning and coordination workshop to Reflect on the strategies and progress of EU funded projects.
• 3.
  Purpose of theworkshop Aim:  Inform GBEG region project managers on emerging innovative programmatic trends in the GUN region,  Sensitize PRO-ACT projects in the GUN region on resilience measures underway with EU funded projects in the GBEG region. Theme:  Transitioning from emergency response to resilience building: is it working? Frame:  Highlight successful innovations and challenges to the realization of the EU funded projects and regional programme short to medium term results.
• 4.
  Presentations Day 1: – NRC(Institutional & CBO Support), – NPA (Blacksmiths & Implements), – Concern (Savings & Loans Associations), – HARD (Extension Skills & Group Loans), – PIN (Organisation of Agro-dealers), – World Vision (Seed-multiplication & Storage), – VSF-G (Poultry & Youth Groups), – FAO (Vocational Training & Extension). Day 2: – IRC (Multi-sector Collaboration), – Cordaid (Community Planning and Monitoring), – ZOA (Nutrition Education and Promotion), – Oxfam (Vouchers and Market Development).
• 5.
  Project Period: 15thFeb. 2014 – 14th Feb. 2017 Total budget: € 2,222,222 Implementing partners: Concern Worldwide (CWW); Langich United Youth Development Association (LUYDA) Aweil Project for Agriculture Development (APAD) Coverage: Aweil Centre County: 3 Payams – 18 Bomas Aweil North County: 4 Payams – 24 Bomas; Aweil West County: 7 Payams – 39 Bomas; 1. Background SORUDEV
• 6.
  Goal & Objectives Goal:To contribute to increased food security, reduced vulnerability and enhanced livelihoods of rural households in NBeG, SSD Specific Objective: To increase agricultural production & income of smallholder farmers in NBeG. The specific objective will be achieved by: a) Strengthening extension services, use of good practices & reduced losses b) Facilitating the adoption of animal draught cultivation throughout the State c) Increasing market access & linkages between value chain actors Target: 4,500 active smallholder (SH) farmer households (HHs)
• 7.
  - A self-selectedgroup of people who pool their money into a fund from which members can borrow. - Groups governed by set of rules developed by members - Members decide on how much to save , when & where to meet, elect officials, interest rates for loans, etc. - Any money borrowed is paid back with interest, making the fund to grow - After a cycle of 12 months, the members can share all or part of the money saved 2. • Village Savings & Loans Associations (VSLAs)
• 8.
  Why VSLAs?  Financialservices providers (i.e. banks, Cooperatives, Unions, SACCO, etc. ) missing in the communities  Create financial services in the communities where the project was being implemented  Beneficiaries to pool their resources together  Be able to borrow to buy agricultural input & treat their animals  Fund to borrow for repair or replacement of worn out or missing parts, etc.  Provide social safety net  Social fund – death, sickness, loss of property, etc.  Guaranteed returns  Money earns interest as it is rent to members (& non-members) at an interest rate  Provides short-term financial needs for income generating activities (IGAs), social obligations and emergencies  Not at the mercy of shylocks (money lenders)
• 9.
  Photos Money counter confirmingmoney received Key holders opening the VSLA box Money counter confirming the cash in Malual West Community meeting in Lanager boma, Ariath Payam to discuss about VSLA
• 10.
  3. Progress  Community sensitization& mobilization conducted in all the project locations  Groups formed & operational –  108 groups  Over SSP. 197,000 in savings  Over SSP. 115,000 loaned to members  Some groups have shared out the money after finishing one cycle  Some groups have started another cycle  Other groups  In some locations, farmers did not form VSLA groups possibly because they were not aware
• 11.
  Year 1 Year2 County # of VSLA groups Membership Savings (SSP.) # of VSLA groups Membership Savings (SSP.) Loans (SSP.) M F Total M F Total Aweil Centre 00 00 00 00 00 20 283 189 472 27,502 23,519 Aweil North 04 67 15 82 2,930 30 399 337 736 74,329 59,079 Aweil West 03 26 53 79 5,850 58 478 787 1,265 95,544 32,502 Total 07 93 68 161 8,780 108 1,160 1,313 2,473 197,375 115,100 VSLA progress by end of year 2
• 12.
  Photos Lead farmers trainingon VSLA Lead farmer makes a presentation during training Training on record keeping for lead farmers Group discussion during the training Concern staff training the farmers
• 13.
   VSLA discussedduring inception meetings at all level  State, County, Payam, Boma  Staff trained as ToTs - to train VSLA members in turn  Selected group officials trained on VSLA  to be ambassadors of this new concept in the community  pass the message about the training to beneficiaries  Lead farmers trained as field agents to support groups  Groups formed & trained by Project staff  Regular monitoring visits conducted  Groups provided with starter kits  No cash grants given to the groups – all is own savings 4. Approach
• 14.
  What changes hasVSLAs made?  Success stories about how VSLA has changed the members lives:  Marial Bai (Ayat East Payam – Aweil West County)  One member of the Kongdai group commented that the VSLA has helped her a great deal. Before she joined the group, she used to brew alcohol and sell to the soldiers in the barracks nearby. To do this, she had to walk for long distances making her home very late. This used to cause problems with her husbands and there were fights all the time. However since joining the group, she has stopped brewing alcohol and now sells tea and groundnuts in the Marial Bai and this has helped bring harmony at home. There are no more fights and she is able to provide for her family.  Lion group (Lulic Boma, Ayat East Payam – Aweil West County) .  Abuk Mayom volunteers “For the first time in my 45 years of life I had SSP. 1,200 to my own” she states with excitement and joy visible all over her face.  The total transactions of the group for 2015 stands at SSP. 54,000.  Excitedly, these women feel that if they maintain the momentum, they should be able to fund CWW in the next 5 years!!  Join hands group (Aguat Boma, Gumjuer East Payam  Had saved over SSP. 20,000  Produced groundnuts that they have sold for over SSP. 93,000 (50 bags)
• 15.
   VSLA wasa new idea that was not known in the area but which has brought a lot of change in many HHs  A lot still needs to be done to sensitize community about the benefits of VSLAs  New groups have emerged on seeing the benefits that VSLAs are bringing to the members’ HHs  VSLAs near market places doing better than those far  Possibly due to availability of market opportunities 5. - Lessons Learnt
• 16.
  Lessons Learnt Cont’d… Income generating activities (IGAs) – income during difficult economic times  Literacy training for the members important – women groups have 01 or 02 male members as secretaries  Communities not too poor to save – have resources & are resourceful  More sensitization needs to be done on why the group members should borrow  Loan fund does not grow
• 17.
   Economic downturn Affecting savings in many groups – priority changes to consumption than feeding  May be important to support some IGAs for the groups  Important to train members in business skills  Low literacy levels –  Need to train the members on simple numeracy & literacy skills  Affecting record keeping 6. Challenges
• 18.
  Challenges Cont’d…  Poorcrop yields experienced in 2015  Farmers left with very little or no surpluses to sell to earn an income  Need to borrow  Some group members not willing to borrow money from the groups – fund not growing  Understanding the need to meet more frequently – monthly meetings or bi-weekly meetings  Lack of understanding on how the VSLA works  Some members do not want to borrow the cash – not because they do not have business ideas but because they want the money to remain in the box for fear of losing the money
• 19.
   Evidence fromthe VSLAs shows that the transitioning is happening  Finished a cycle & started a new one  Savings from members only – no cash injection from CWW  Amounts saved & loaned out  New groups being formed – benefits accruing to members  But more still needs to be done:  Sensitising the community on VSLA & its benefits  Change of mind set on handouts – Need to believe in themselves  Need to understand why the need to borrow  To grow the VSLA groups to stronger financial services provider 7. Transitioning from emergency response to resilience building: is it working ?
• 20.
  Thank you andGod bless you!
• 21.
  - Questions 