UEnd Blog

We hear it all the time: “How do I know my money is going to good use?” Well, we’ve mandated that we share with you every project that has succeeded or hit a milestone or needs more help. Here we’d like to share with you 12 projects that have seen a major change in their outcome since they started:

1) While only 23 families were targeted to benefit from the original project proposal, 37 families have accessed the micro-credit revolving fund (loans totaling over $6000). Visit this project to learn more: http://www.uend.org/dt/projects/140

2) Tony Zelaya, a Miskito youth from the community of Tuburus in the BOSAWAS rainforest is a perfect example of someone who could have benefited from having a high school in his community. Here’s why: http://www.uend.org/dt/projects/137/

3) Change for Children’ Manager of Int’l Projects, Lorraine Swift, travelled to Nicaragua in July 2011, where she met with project partners to launch “Food in the Forest” initiative, and Miskito youth video conferenced with North American kids about the farming challenges they face. Read more: http://www.uend.org/dt/projects/136

4) Since May 2011, KIHEFO, Change for Children’s partner organization in Kabale, Uganda, has held 2 workshops focusing on improving nutrition in the context of food security and has seen many take part in micro-credit programs. Learn how it’s helped: http://www.uend.org/dt/projects/139

5) Although these micro-loans for AIDS orphan caregivers have seen huge success, learn why some haven’t been able to repay their loans: http://www.uend.org/dt/projects/142

6) So many great things happening with the Holistic Home Improvements project in Sierra Leone : http://www.uend.org/dt/projects/64

7) How amazing. High attendance rates and good participation in the literacy classes are yielding very positive learning results including a 92% pass rate: http://www.uend.org/dt/projects/60

8) Fantastic rates of borrowing and repayment in the Peace Through Business Development project in Sierra Leone: http://www.uend.org/dt/projects/67

9) Great things are happening for these women in Gautemala as they learn about leadership and businesses: http://www.uend.org/dt/projects/61

10) Five more classes in five more communities were started in 2011, helping women learn to read: http://www.uend.org/dt/projects/62

11) 316 participants learned basic business skills and received their first $65 loan to grown their business: http://www.uend.org/dt/projects/65

12) Great news coming from CAUSE Canada’s Holistic Improvements project in Honduras that will make you smile: http://www.uend.org/dt/projects/63

Happy Monday!

For this post, I will provide you with all sorts of links for you to read more on Community Development and its role in eracing poverty.

Blogs:
Mike Chitty Enterprise and Entrepreneurship in the Community

Powerpoints:
Community Development Principles in action powerpoint from a government perspective
Horizons Community Development powerpoint
Understanding Community Development Presentation

Websites of Organizations:
Community Development Organization
Maaori Community Development Links
Simon Fraser’s Centre for Sustainable Community Development

Books:
Community Development: Breaking the Cycle of Poverty
Introduction to Social Work
Sustainable Community Development

Enjoy!

In this edition of the blog we will look at one UEnd project. We will look at it from the perspective of why it works in the fight to end poverty.
This particular project is run by the group Fordg. Click in this link to go to the project itself. Friends of Rural Development Ghana Project

In the mean time, let’s examine the project. It is called “Lawra Women’s Livestock for Life”.
The project description will tell you that it is intended to give longterm livelihoods to women in the rural Ghanian Lawra region through livestock.

What makes this a good project in the fight to end poverty is the support system around the actual giving of the typical local livestock. Yes, participants are given livestock BUT they are also taught how to rear them, how to manage their herd and how to increase herd size and still use the herd as a source of income for their families. On top of this, the participants are taught financial management skills to ensure they know how to handle their increased finances and how to use it to benefit their families and herd longevity in the long run. They learn how to care for, how to fatten, and how to sell animals without impacting the herd thus ensuring an on-going source of income and a better future.

Some other stats about this FORDG project:
- 300 women will be impacted by the project.
- project budget $4200.00 Canadian Dollars
- the families of these 300 women will also be affected due to an increased standard of living in rural Ghana.

This seemingly simple FORDG Livestock project will have a ripple effect on both the women and their family’s daily health, their ability to go to school, will lead to improved living conditions and will strengthen the community because this person can now support others. These are all elements that help the family get out of poverty. This is what makes this a good project and a sustainable one. When we say we give a hand up not a hand out… the FORDG project is a hand up.

Now contrast this to a standard livestock program- such as buying a goat for Christmas. Yes the funds help get the goat and it does improve the family’s standard of living for the short term. However, if the new goat owners do not know how to fatten the herd, care for their health or how and where to sell it- once the goat is gone, it is just gone. That family is back to square one. This is an example of a hand out with no long term gain. It begs the question, was it a good use of your investment dollars?

Now which would you rather support, the goats or the program that has goats and the support system?