News article

40 Widows received 226 sheep in Afghanistan
26/01/2009

{40 Widows received 226 sheep in Jaghoori and Yakawlang}

Background
Lady Fatemah Charitable Trust agreed to fund an income generation scheme consisting of sheep for 40 Widow Families. This income generation scheme would provide 20 Widow Families in Jaghoori and 20 Widow Families in Yakawlang with sheep. The number of sheep granted would vary depending on the size of the family and so allowing sufficient opportunity to earn/feed given the size of the family.
We must remember that for these women daily life is a constant struggle; a struggle to feed their families, a struggle to educate their children and a struggle to keep their families warm in the winter months. These widows have to struggle with the dilemma of finding money to feed and clothe their children and not send them to school as they cannot afford the fees.
Therefore, we pray that with the ongoing support from Lady Fatemah Charitable Trust this income generation scheme will enable them to begin a more positive and hopeful chapter in their lives and that of their children.
The Widow Families had already been identified through the community representatives who have a good understanding of the financial circumstances of these widows and even though a difficult task managed to identify the neediest. These community representatives will also keep us updated on how the scheme is operating and how each Widow is managing.
Sheep
Sheep was chosen as the livestock to concentrate on as the potential to earn from the various by-products means that there is a greater opportunity to secure a regular and reliable income.
By-products from keeping sheep are:

Milk on a daily basis
Butter
Cheese
Dry Yoghurt
Wool
Lambs

Potential prices from these by-products vary from season to season, month to month and region to region. Currently the price for milk and butter has increased from the prices originally submitted in November – this is naturally down to supply and demand given the severe cold at the moment. Milk has increased from 35 rupees per kilo to 41 rupees and butter has increased from 250 rupees to 310 rupees in Jaghoori and there is a few rupees difference in Yakawlang where products are a few rupees are cheaper.
Thus, these are latest January prices (average) for the by products that will be sold and are based on 1kg prices:
·

Milk (daily production) = 41 rupees
Butter (monthly production) = 310 rupees
Cheese (monthly production) = 700 rupees
Dry Yoghurt (monthly production) = 450 rupees
Wool every (3 month production) = 300 rupees for each sheep

The baby lambs will not be sold and will be reared so that the flock grows and therefore the potential volume of by-products will increase and so the potential to earn also increases. Key to the success of this scheme is that once production patterns are established then the Widow families will be able to determine how much volume can be regularly sold and how much volume is needed for consumption at home. Certainly, the Widow Families have been directed that participation in the scheme will also allow them to provide a more nutritious diet for their children.
The Widow families have also been directed that in order to maximise their income from the sheep that they should focus on producing a mix of by-products, though this will be very much determined by the local market. Certainly, if larger volumes are produced then these can be sold in larger nearby town markets.
Table of potential earnings:

Quantity	By products	Potential Monthly Earnings
5 sheep (5-7 members per family)	7 1/2 kg Milk per day Butter Cheese Yoghurt Wool Lambs	1kg = 41 rupees = 307.50 rupees daily and 9,225 rupees monthly 1kg butter = 310 rupees 1kg cheese = 700 rupees Dry Yoghurt = 450 rupees Wool every 3 months = 300 rupees for each sheep To be kept to grow

Distribution of sheep
The sheep were distributed to 20 families in Jaghoori and 20 families in Yakawlang.
Originally we were anticipating distributing the sheep in early December but with Eid al Adha fast approaching, the price of sheep to rose to $120- $125 (25% more than the original budget of $100) and ever mindful that we need to maximise value for money we decided to wait until the Eid holidays were over. We were able to purchase each sheep for $96 which is $4 under budget per sheep but we did have to pay for transport and grass feed because of the severe cold and snow.
Therefore the overall spend of setting up this income generation scheme is as follows:

	Budget	Actual spend
Cost of sheep	Yakawlang = $11, 800 (£8,251.75) Jaghoori = $10,800 (£7,552.45) Total = $22,600 (£15,804.20)	Yakawlang = $11, 328 (£7,921.68) Jaghoori = $10,368 (£7,250.35) Total = $21,696 (£15,172.03)
Transport Costs	Originally we had anticipated that all sheep would be herded and distributed on foot. But with the severe snow need to buy sheep from many areas rather than the anticipated few.	Jaghoori = 2 Trucks plus incentive payment to transport during difficult snow conditions 2 Trucks = 65,000 Rupees (£1,733.33) Incentive payment = 5,000 (£66.67) Total 135,000 Rupees = (£1,800)
Feed Costs	Originally we had anticipated little feed will be needed and for Yakawlang this was the case. In Jaghoori more feed was needed because of the snow and the transportation by trucks.	Yakawlang = 8,000 Rupees (£106.67) Jaghoori = 23,000 Rupees (£306.67) Total 31,000 Rupees = (£413.31)
	Exchange Rate: $1.43 to £1 Exchange Rate: 75 Rupees to £1	Total Spend = £17,385.34

We managed to get a better price for each sheep but because of the weather conditions we have had to spend extra on transport and animal feed. So the actual spend was more than originally anticipated.
The exchange rate was fairly steady in December and held at our budget exchange rate of $1.43 to the pound.
Distribution in Yakawlang
In Yakawlang the sheep were purchased from both markets/individuals from the surrounding area of Bande Amir four days before distribution was due to take place. Normally, all the sheep would have been purchased from the market but due to the cold and snow, this had to be done at individual level as well.
Initially the sheep were transported by truck from Bande Amir and then on foot to Nayag which is approximately 7-8 hours on foot. The sheep were given feed whilst on the truck ride and once they were on foot the sheep could graze on the way, where possible.
A total of 118 sheep were distributed to the 20 families in Nayag, Yakawlang on 25^th December 2008. On this bright and sunny day, the widows came along and the distribution took place outside Jamia Masjid, Nayag. Given the desperate situation of so many destitute widows in this area (372 widow families are listed with the community representatives) the community representatives decided to only call the 20 Widow families who were to receive the grant of sheep, so that the distribution would take place in a calm and ordered way. This is exactly what happened.
Each widow signed with a thumbprint to say that they have received their grant of sheep. And in some cases, the children from the widowed families came and collected the sheep. All these Widow families live only a short walk away from Nayag – approximately 45 – 1 hour on foot, so the families were able to take the sheep fairly easily to their homes.
The main community representatives of Brothers Shukaib, Dr Fatimee, and Sajjadi will be our key channels of providing monthly updates and a more detailed quarterly reporting. If there are any issues/problems then the Widow families will approach the community representatives who in turn will talk to Afghan Poverty Relief representatives.
The sheep were distributed to the following 20 Widow Families in Yakawlang:

Yakawlang
Non Syed		Syed
Name	Sheep	Name	Sheep
Saleeha Mohamed Akbar	7	Bibi Marzia Syed Musa	7
Aziza Deedar	5	Bibi Shukriya Syed Gulam Reza	5
Fatima Daadali	5	Bib Layla Syed Murtaza	7
Sakina Mira jaan	7	Bib Quresh Syed Reza	5
Laila Mohib ali	7	Bibi Nasqul Syed Mir Agha	5
Fatima Hussein Dat	7	Bibi Fatema Syed Karim	7
Shireen Mustafa	7	Bibi Seyyeda Syed Jawad	5
Zeba Akberi	5	Bibi Amina Syed Khan Jan	5
Ahmadi Mir Hussain	7	Bibi Nasqul Syed Qurban	5
Karima Sharif	5	Bibi Fatema Syed Mohamed	5
TOTAL SHEEP DISTRIBUTED: 118

Distribution in Jaghoori
In Jaghoori, the sheep were purchased from both markets/individuals had to be bought from several areas because of the harsh cold and snow – Jigatoo, Khojimari, Thurgan, Sarab, Hyderabad and Kathlaag. Normally, all the sheep would have been purchased from the one or two markets but due to the cold and snow, they were bought in many places and taken to a village on foot which took up to three days.
The sheep were collected in a village called Gunge in Ghazni to be transported by truck to Jaghoori for distribution to the Widow Families. This journey took 14 hours to complete and this was the quickest and safest way (given the weather and security) to transport the sheep using trucks with two floors. Grass feed had to be bought for the journey on foot and on truck – because the snow was too deep so the sheep could not graze and the truck journey was long as well.
A total of 108 sheep were distributed to 20 Widow Families in Jaghoori on 5^th January 2009. This was a bright, cold day and the distribution took place in the main street in Jaghoori which was well attended by the village as Afghan Poverty Relief (on behalf of Comfort Aid International) was also distributing flour, cooking oil and blankets as part of our current Winter Appeal to the neediest. Unsurprisingly, the distribution of the sheep and food/oil brought a lot of people to the village that day.
The snows in this area were deep and out of the 20 Widow families, 12 came to take the grant of sheep and 8 Widows that could not come, sent their children and we secured the help of several community men who helped herd the sheep to the individual Widow Families. Each widow signed with a thumbprint to say that they have received their grant of sheep.
The main community representatives of Syed Bismisallahjan, Syed Mir Agha Asharafan and Syed Hussein Agha will be our key communicators of monthly updates and a more detailed quarterly reporting. If there are any issues/problems then the Widow families will approach the community representatives who in turn will talk to Afghan Poverty Relief representatives.
The sheep were distributed to the following 20 Widow Families in Jaghoori:

Jaghoori
Non Syed		Syed
Name	Sheep	Name	Sheep
Fatema Shir Mohamed	5	Bibi Kandaga Syed Musa	7
Gulzaywer Bind Mohamed Kasim	7	Bibi Mirwari Syed Yusuf	5
Amina Jaffer	6	Bib Shireen Syed Karim	5
Safia Khadim Hussain	5	Bib Magul Syed Zaman	5
Marian Taj Mohamed	6	Bibi Jawahir Syed Tur Ali	5
Shikiba Mir Agha	5	Bibi Gawerbegam Syed Kasim	5
Shahjahan Mohamed Ali	5	Bibi Shireengul Syed Nasir	6
Fatema Ali Dad	5	Bibi Simagul Syed Bakir	6
Sakia Ali Awar	5	Bibi Mariam Syed Kasim	5
Fariba Amir Agha	5	Bibi Alima Syed Salih	5
TOTAL SHEEP DISTRIBUTED: 108

Inshallah, with the support of Lady Fatemah Trust and its’ well wishers these Widow Families in Jaghoori and Yakawlang will be able to provide a better life for themselves and their children.
Over the next few months, we will be able to better understand how the financial situation and well-being of the women and children has improved. A regular income means that these women will be able to go to school and give their children a better diet.
This is just the beginning of the income generation scheme and Inshallah it will be success on both an individual and community level. With this success we will be able to increase the number of participants in the scheme. Success depends on our commitment and support as well as the participants’ understanding of what the scheme is trying to achieve.
Summary

40 Widow Families will be able to secure a regular source of income over time
A total of 226 sheep have been distributed in Jaghoori and Yakawlang
A total of 306 women and children will immediately benefit from this grant of sheep
The Widows will be able to provide a more varied and balanced diet for their children
The orphans will have a better chance to be healthy and fight off common infections
With a more reliable income the Widows will be able to send their children to school
This Income Generation scheme has re-ignited hope for a better future for these women and children

Management: APR
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Yours sincerely,
Amirali G. Karim
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40 Widows received 226 sheep in Afghanistan 26/01/2009

40 Widows received 226 sheep in Afghanistan
26/01/2009