Swat Youth Front

Opposite Grassy Ground, Saidu Sharif , Swat, NWFP Pakistan Email: [email protected] URL: www.syfswat.org

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

(1) Background: ------2

(2) Goal and Objectives of the Project:------2

(3) Methodology/ Activities:------3

(4) Details of Distribution Activities:------4

(5) Impact of the project: ------5

(6) Problems faced:------6

(7) Sustainability :------6

(8) Lesson learnt : ------7

(9) Case studies:------7

(10) Feed backs & Recommendations: ------9

BACKGROUND: The security forces operation and the displacement at District Swat, NWFP, Pakistan have deprived the women of the area from their sole source of income- poultry and goats as during the complex emergency situation they either sold it during the crisis to support their families or left back in home during the displacement due to transportation hindrance. While the remaining live-stock and poultry either died due to no care and no food or slaughtered by the people remained in the conflict area. To revive and rehabilitate the income sources of the rural women SYF proposed a project proposal “ Rural Women Income Rehabilitation Project” to the Program for Advancement of Gender Equality (PAGE), CIDA, Islamabad, Pakistan to rehabilitate affected rural women source of income and empower them to play an active role in performing their domestic responsibilities. Under the proposed project SYF proposed to provide poultry and goat to the rural women of the most sensitive and affected rural areas of District Swat namely, Tehsil Kabal, Tehsil Charbagh and Tehsil Babozai and hence under the proposed project 1100 hens to 275 women with an estimate of 4 hens to each woman have been provided. Similarly 150 goats were provided to 150 targeted beneficiaries’ families with a ratio of each goat to each woman. The distribution of poultry and live stock was based on the needs and family size of the women and her dependents. The recipient woman was not entitled to receive both goat and hens

GOAL OF THE PROJECT: To empower the conflict and displacement affected rural women by reviving and rehabilitating their source of income after their return.

OBJECTIVES OF THE PROJECT: To provide emergency assistance in the form of poultry and live stock to the most vulnerable rural women. To ensure income security status of women and to enhance their capacity to carry out their domestic responsibilities and overcome the psychological distress caused by displacement Implement rural income generating activities such as provision of Poultry and live stock for vulnerable groups of the population, such as women's groups, and women and elderly- headed households

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METHODOLOGY/ACTIVITIES : i. Agreement signed on: The Contribution Agreement was signed between Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) Islamabad and Swat Youth Leader on 30 September 20, 2009. ii. Cheque Received: One million one hundred ninety nine thousand and two hundred Pakistani Rupees (Rs 1199, 200) received from CIDA Islamabad for the project activities. iii. Joint meeting of SYF’s Board of Directors and Program Staffs: Meeting of Board of Director of SYF and SYF’s Program Staff convened at Head office Building of SYF at Opposite Grassy Ground Saidu Sharif Road Saidu Sharif Mingora Swat to discus and formalize the implementation strategy of the project. iv. Establishment of coordination committee: A coordination committee consisting of three members was formed under supervision of Swat Youth Front (SYF). The committee was responsible for the overall project development, implementation and execution with stake holders. The committee also coordinated with the CIDA Islamabad submitting reports. v. Formation of CDD Committees: SYF project staff had carried out meetings with the community members and community based organizations regarding the project and their involvement in the project activities and hence on each Tehsil level SYF had established three CDD committees. Each CDD committee consisted of one member of CBO/ CCB, one member of the community group, one member from the beneficiaries’ families’ member, one motivated farmer and one member from the local government on Union Council Level and two SYF local volunteers. The CDD along with SYF was responsible for the need assessment, registration of survivors, distribution and monitoring and evaluation of the project activities. vi. Establishment of Selection committee: SYF established a selection committee consisting of two members of SYF Board of Directors, Project manager and each representative from Livestock department Swat and CDD Committee to scrutinize and select the application of the beneficiaries in the targeted Tehsil of Tehsil Kabal, Tehsil Charbagh and Tehsil Babozai. vii. Designing of Application form: SYF project staff had designed an application form in Urdu format for the selection and registration of the targeted beneficiaries. viii. Registration of the targeted beneficiaries’ women: SYF project staff along with female volunteers and members of the CDD was responsible for the selection of the targeted beneficiaries’ women in the rural areas of Kabal, Charbagh and Babozai Tehsils of district Swat. As per criteria outlined in the project proposal the project staffs along with female volunteers and members of the CDD committee had registered five hundred and twenty five (525) beneficiaries. ix. Establishment of Purchasing Committee: 3

SYF had established a purchasing committee consisting of two members of SYF’s Board of Page Directors, one member from district live stock department and one representative from the local government. The purchase committee had invited tenders from livestock and poultry suppliers through advertisement in local newspapers. The committee had passed the tender

keeping in mind the price of the live stock and poultry. The selected firm had signed an MOU with SYF to supply the livestock and poultry to the four distribution points according to the given schedule. x. Formation of Distribution committees: The project staff and SYF Board of Directors constituted four distribution committees, consisting of CCD representatives, Local Volunteers and SYF volunteers for the four distribution points. xi. Issuing Distribution token to selected beneficiaries women: SYF volunteers both male and female in collaboration with the project manager issue distribution token to the selected beneficiaries’ women selected by the selection committee in the targeted Tehsils. xii. Signing of MOU with the Beneficiary Women: The beneficiaries’ women had signed an agreement with SYF under which she would be bound that after four months the beneficiaries would hand over four chicks and one goat offspring after an year to another qualified recipients women. SYF would provide the details of the needy women to the beneficiary women and family after each four month. xiii. Evaluation and follow up visits: SYF project staff in close collaboration with SYF Board of Directors, and members of respective CDD Committees was responsible for Evaluation and Follow up visits to evaluate and monitor poultry and goat status and project development. The CDD committees will update SYF on regular basis about the status to avoid the misused of the goats and poultry by the beneficiaries xiv. Case Studies: After the completion of the project SYF female volunteers were responsible to compile the case studies of the women beneficiaries to assess and evaluate the impact of the project.

DETAILS OF DISTRIBUTION ACTIVITIES: As per proposed project SYF has to distribute hens and goats in the rural areas of three Tehsils of Kabal, Charbagh and Babozai, the detailed information regarding the distribution of hens and goats are as following; S# VILLAGE TEHSIL #OF BENEFICIARIES NUMBER OF HENS 1 Kalakali Kabal 26 104 2 Dehrai Kabal 15 60 3 Koza Bandai Kabal 17 68 4 Alam Ganj Charbagh 36 144 5 Dakodak Charbagh 17 68 6 Koot Charbagh 20 80 7 Qambar Babozai 17 68 8 Odigram Babozai 15 60 9 Googdara Babozai 28 112 10 Charbagh Charbagh 26 104 11 Mangloor Babozai 18 72 12 Kookarai Babozai 14 56 13 Akhun Baba Babozai 11 44 14 Haji Baba Babozai 9 36 15 Murghazar Babozai 6 24

Total 275 1100

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While details regarding distribution of goats are as following;

S# VILLAGE TEHSIL #OF BENEFICIARIES NUMBER OF GOATS 1 Alam Ganj Charbagh 16 16 2 Dakodak Charbagh 6 6 3 Koza Bandai Kabal 8 8 4 Kanju Kabal 5 5 5 Dehrai Kabal 10 10 6 Kalakali Kabal 12 12 7 Odigram Babozai 10 10 8 Qambar Babozai 5 5 9 Googdara Babozai 11 11 10 Gulbandai Babozai 15 15 11 Charbagh Charbagh 15 15 12 Akhun Baba Babozai 5 5 13 Haji Baba Babozai 10 10 14 Mangloor Babozai 10 10 15 Koot Charbagh 7 7 16 Gwalerai Matta 5 5 Total 150 150

IMPACT OF THE PROJECT: Rural Women Income Rehabilitation Project would be expected to contribute to the provision of means to develop the economic, social and environmental potentials of the Swatis’ women and their families and would ultimately improve the livelihoods of the women beneficiaries and their empowerment. The project would achieve the potential by empowering the women to contribute to increased incomes and greater food security. Women have very few job opportunities and their movements are restricted. Women are expected to remain at the homestead and are subordinate to men. Women's access to and control over resources (information, extension services, financial services, land inputs for production, output and income) or direct marketing of produce and exchange of

information is extremely limited or has to be facilitated by male family members. Rural

5 Women Income Rehabilitation project enable the women to get access to poultry and goats and its production is an important source of income and can be undertaken at the Page

homestead.

The participation of women, both at the village level and at the project staff level after the regime of Taliban in the area who hindered effective participation of women and imposed complete restriction on women mobility and their decision making and hence such participation of women as actor and beneficiaries would subsequently effective in implementation of all rehabilitation and development intervention in district Swat. The project world have positive impact on Food production per capita after the crisis Improved · Livestock production severely affected by conflict and disease. Minimize Chronic malnutrition and dietary imbalances among women due to rehabilitation of income source and provision of nourishment via eggs and milks to women and their families Under the Rural women income Rehabilitation Project SYF worked with motivated women, community groups and community based organizations to work as community driven development (CDD) and hence empowered the target beneficiaries by giving direct control to the community over planning, decisions and investment resources through a process that emphasizes participatory planning and accountability. Such initiatives created opportunities for poor survivors and marginalized groups to gain voice and control over their own development.

PROBLEMS FACED: As per rules and regulations the organization has to open a new account for the project and hence abiding the rules and regulation the organization has started the process but after a period of 12 official days it was notified that the bank account cannot be open merely on the title of the project and hence the organization has notified CIDA about the same. As the project duration was just for two months and the organization has to carry on its activities and hence the organization has to utilize other projects funding for the female volunteers honoraria, transportation and other relevant cost. Moreover, as per time line the organization has to open the tender on 15th of October and sign an MOU with the supplier for the supply of hens and goats in the month of October but due to no availability of the fund in the account the organization has to provide cheque on 17th of November after transferring of the amount to SYF account on 11th of November.

SUSTAINABILITY: At the time of registration, it was obligatory for the beneficiaries to indicate the name of the indirect beneficiaries women to whom she would be bound to hand over four chicks after four months and one goat offspring after an year and hence SYF has signed an agreement

with the women beneficiaries under which she would be bound that after four months the

6 Page beneficiaries would hand over four chicks after four months and one goat off spring after an year to another qualified recipients women. SYF will provide the details of the needy

women to the beneficiary women and family after each four month. In addition to this, The CDD committees will update SYF on regular basis about the status to avoid the misused of the goats and poultry by the beneficiaries.

LESSON LEARNT: a) Under the proposed project SYF worked with the CDD Committees and take some local members as volunteers on the basis of their local knowledge. But during the initial assessment and registration we observed that there were close relatives of the volunteers in the communities and they begin nepotism in the process. However, the selection committee in close coordination with the CDD committees members shortlisted the eligible beneficiaries, we learnt the lesson to minimize the involvement of the local volunteers and scrutinize their assessment and registration to make the process transparent and result oriented. b) The participation of women, both at the village level and at the project staff level after the regime of Taliban in the area who hindered effective participation of women and imposed complete restriction on women mobility and their decision making and hence such participation of women as actor and beneficiaries would subsequently effective in implementation of all rehabilitation and development intervention in district Swat. c) Under the Rural women income Rehabilitation Project SYF worked with motivated women, community groups and community based organizations to work as community driven development (CDD) and hence learnt the lesson that giving direct control to the community over planning, decisions and investment resources is much participatory and result oriented and it created a sense of mobilization among the communities and hence lead to ownership and responsibility.

CASE STUDIES:

Name: Dilshad Bibi

Area: Rahim Abad, Swat Miss Dilshad Bibi is a mother of four issues and has been living with her parents for the last two years as her husband has been addicted to drugs and looted all the available resources for the purchasing of his drugs. According to Seeda Bibi she has been subject to much domestic violence by her husband and hence was compelled to reside with her four children in her parents’ home. She is working as a worker in different houses to look after her children and during the displacement she had to sell out her goat to bear the expanses of travelling during the displacement. Under the proposed project she has been provided with one milch goat and during the evaluation and follow up visits it was observed that milch goat has a positive impact on her

and her children lives. 7

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Name: Hamida

Area: Islampur Miss Hamida is a resident of a village Islampur and her husband has a disabled hand

mutilated during the suicide attack at Mingora. Being rural women she had hens and goats but had to sell it during the displacement while one goat was slaughtered by the Taliban. During the registration process her demand was to assist her in the rehabilitation of her income source and hence was provided with one milch goat.

Name: Taj Begum

Area: Charbagh, Swat. Miss Taj Begum is 53 years widow and she is also looking after her 30 years widow daughter along with her two children in her home. They are living in the rural areas of

Charbagh and had two goats and one cow before the crisis but they had to sell this solely source of income during the prevailing uncertain circumstances and during the displacement. During the evaluation and follow up visits by the female volunteers she comments that the provision of goat to her widow daughter is much beneficial to her daughter to provide milk to her children.

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Name: Khurshida Bibi Area: Kalakali, Kabal Khurshida Bibi, 40 years belongs to the most sensitive area of Tehsil Kabal. She is a mother of four children and her husband works as a farmer in his fields. The current displacement

has deprived her husband from the cropping seasons and has to bear the brunt of financial crises. As the family had to quit the area in a jiffy and hence having no time to escort their poultry and livestock with themselves and so had to leave behind their poultry and live stock in home. During the evaluation and fellow up visits she appraised the provision of 4hens to her family that with the selling of two hens per day she can earn some money to fulfill her daily requirements while two eggs are enough as a nourished food for her children.

FEEDBACK AND RECOMENDATIONS: CIDA support for the Rural Women Income Rehabilitation Project has been vital for reviving and rehabilitating the income source of conflict survivor rural women in district swat and empowered them to play an active role in performing their domestic responsibilities. CIDA support contributes to the provision of means to develop the economic, social and environmental potentials of the Swatis, women and their families and would ultimately improve the livelihoods of the women beneficiaries and their empowerment. In addition to this and most importantly the project has provided a platform for the participation of women, both at the village level and the project staff level after the regime of Taliban in the area, who were stumbling block for the effective participation of women and imposed complete restriction on women mobility and their decision making and hence such participation of women as actor and beneficiaries would subsequently effective in implementation of all rehabilitation and developmental intervention in the area. For further empowerment and rehabilitation of the income source of the rural women SYF recommends the following recommendations; a) Skills training for women: To ensure participation of women in economic development, and promote their contribution to household income SYF proposes Skills training program in food preservation, local handicrafts to computer-based dress designing and painting and embroidery etc.

In addition to this SYF also recommends Business creation exercise for the already skilled and trained women to enhance income from small-scale businesses of women through 9

promotion of their products and linkages with the proper market and hence minimize role of Page the middleman for increasing net profit of the women community. b) Extension of Rural Women Income Rehabilitation Project:

After the successful completion of the rural women income rehabilitation project SYF proposes to extend the project and provide eggs yielded hens to approximately 5000 rural women. c) Traditional Dai training Program (TBA): To minimize/ avoid pregnancy related morbidity and mortality of pregnant women in the rural areas of Swat SYF proposes the training of Traditional Dais Training Program (Traditional Birth Attendants Program) of the locality. After training of three months trained traditional Dais in different localities will provide maternal health care to the locals within their own area and hence a life saving mechanism will get in place. d) Legal Awareness Sessions for Women : To aware the women regarding the family laws and the legal remedies against domestic violence and information regarding relevant institutions and procedures SYF proposes Legal Awareness Sessions for the women in district Swat.

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