Under the USAID funded Improving Livelihood and Enterprise Development program (I-LED), the first value chain micro grant was distributed for the purchase of buffalos by CNFA Inc. The grant was disbursed in the Bagh region, which is one of the districts that was most affected by the earthquake in Kashmir. Initially, 46 buffaloes were distributed to program beneficiaries on Friday. The distribution cost of the project's first phase was US$50,466 ;( PKR 3,280,000). The buffalos were also tagged and vaccinated before being handed over to the beneficiaries. Representative from Livestock department, Government organizations, Local NGOs and prominent community leaders were also present on the occasion.
Trainings in livestock management (Cow, Buffalo) for 875 women in Bagh-Kashmir and Manshera-NWFP were also conducted this month in partnership with the Animal Husbandry Inservice Training Institute NWFP Peshawar (AHITI). In addition, CNFA recognizes and is working to address, the urgent need to provide livelihood opportunities for women through the provision of micro-loans, as well as assisting in the purchase of small and large animals. CNFA recently conducted Backyard Poultry Training for 750 women in Manshera and Bagh and upon completion of their training; each woman received 50 chicken birds.
USAID has already provided $ 28 million for the I-LED project which will be implemented by CNFA Inc. Through a community-based mix of training, technical assistance and strategically targeted matching enterprise grants, I-LED will continue to focus on three major components in the earthquake affected areas of Pakistan: Reconstruction of Existing Livelihoods, Value-Chain Development and Local Economic Development.
For details please contact:
Kashif Syed
Communication Associate
8, Street # 30, F-7/1, Islamabad.
Ph: +92-51-2654132, 2654172
Fax: +92-51-2653137
Cell: +92-346-5372614
ksyed@cnfapakistan.org