Archive for the ‘Afghanistan’ Category

International Relief and Friendship Foundation, Afghanistan has joined the Afghanistan’s Women’s Council micro finance network. In June 2007, IRFF Afghanistan began a Village Organization (VO) of 25 women to support them in their financial burdens. With a starting capital of $2,000 the VO gives the member women loans to start small businesses and support to make those initiatives successful.

In the country of Afghanistan the situation of women is miserable. Women have not been educated in most cases and therefore are not employed and are dependent on the male members of the family. Another reason for the dependence of the women is because of the religion and traditions of the area. But times are changing and the women are no longer satisfied with their restricted state.  They are longing to be independent and develop themselves in many ways. Because they are not employed they have no way to escape. Many programs for women in Afghanistan have found that if the women are given just a small loan then they are able to do many things. They can break the chains and find a new freedom to develop their talents and expand their horizons and consequently fulfill their proper role in society.

There have been many successful Micro-credit programs and the schemes developed recently since the UN declared 2005 to be the International Year of Micro-credit. The UN considers Microfinance one of the best ways to eliminate poverty in our world today

The Afghanistan Women’s Council (AWC) is one of the non-profit organizations in Afghanistan that has successfully developed this type of micro credit program. By giving small loans to qualified women they have allowed many women to start small businesses, increase their income and develop their talents, abilities, self esteem and eventually raise their status in society.

Through AWC, IRFF Afghanistan will mentor our own group leaders and learn the techniques and procedure needed to create a successful program. After we are confident we can become independent and expand our own program. AWC has agreed to sign a Memorandum of Understanding between IRFF and AWC. After one year this program can expand and include many more needy women.

Details of the Program

Goal
To give qualified women the opportunity to have the financial resources needed to develop their own small business and eventually earn sufficient income to support their families.

Qualifications of participants
Women from low income families who have some trade or talent and show the maturity and knowledge to be able to manage a small business will be qualified for the program

Method

Phase I:
IRFF will create small groups of 20 women called Village Organizations (VO). The participants will be selected and chosen after surveying is done in the area.

The leader of the group will meet the women weekly providing guidance and counseling for their business and any family situations that may arise. In time we will take the opportunity to give Peace Education to each of the VOS

The first leader will be provided by AWC who has been trained by the BRAC Bank which is training leaders all over the country for these types of projects. IRFF will also participate in the next training provided by BRAC Bank and therefore train our own members to lead the groups in the future.

The women will receive a small loan for no more that $80 or 4000 afghani. They must give a plan for a small business and proof of their ability to implement that plan before receiving the loan

All VO members must attend the weekly meeting where they must pay their installment to the VO leader. They are to repay the loan in 40 weeks giving a payment of approximately 100 afghani per week which will include a small interest. With this interest and the original investment coming back we can continue to expand the number of women helped by the program.

Phase II
In this phase women will only be qualified if they fulfilled the requirements of the first stage. In the case that the women were successful in their first business experience they have a chance to receive a bigger loan to either develop their first business or start another small business. The loan given in this phase would be about $200 or 10,000 afghani. With this amount of money the women would be able to expand and drastically increase their profit.

Mr.Umberto Angelucci,and Mrs.Malilyn Angelucci representative of IRFF in Afganistan have donated cash to the Sayed Jamaladdin Afghan School(SJAS), the school of Afghan refugees in New Delhi. They are using one class room of a private school and having classes twice a week and teaching Afghan language, traditional culture and music etc.to keep their identity as Afghanistan citizen Mrs.Sania Feda Taj, headmaster of the school appreciated its support. The school was suffering to manage the class because of financial difficulties.