Shelter For Life International Inc

TO ENABLE PEOPLE AFFECTED BY CONFLICT AND DISASTER TO REBUILD THEIR LIVES AND COMMUNITIES.

SENEGAL PROGRAM:SHELTER FOR LIFE INTERNATIONAL (SFL) HAS BEEN WORKING IN THE REGION OF CASAMANCE (SEDHIOU, KOLDA, AND ZIGUINCHOR) IN SOUTHERN SENEGAL SINCE 2012. AS A RESULT OF A CIVIL WAR OF SEVERAL DECADES WHICH HAS OCCASIONALLY OVERTAKEN CAPITAL AND MARKET DEVELOPMENT IN THIS REGION, SFL'S WORK IN CASAMANCE FOCUSES ON IMPROVING MARKET CONNECTIONS, PARTICULARLY IN THE CASHEW SECTOR, AND RESETTLEMENT OF FAMILIES DISPLACED BY CONFLICT. AFTER SUCCESSFULLY CONSTRUCTING FEEDER ROADS LINKING CASAMANCE FARMING COMMUNITIES TO NATIONAL AND REGIONAL MARKETS, THE ORGANIZATION LAUNCHED TWO NEW PROJECTS TO FACILITATE THE RETURN OF FAMILIES DISPLACED BY THE CIVIL WAR TO THEIR LAND BY HELPING THEM REBUILD THEIR HOMES AND LIVELIHOODS, AND A MULTI-YEAR (2018 2023) REGIONAL PROJECT LINKING INFRASTRUCTURE, FINANCE AND FARMS TO CASHEW PROCESSORS TO STRENGTHEN AND IMPROVE CASHEW NUT PRODUCTION AND TRADE IN SENEGAL, GUINEA-BISSAU, AND THE GAMBIA. THE MAIN OBJECTIVES OF THE PROJECT ARE TO DEVELOP KEY MARKET INFRASTRUCTURE, FACILITATE THE FINANCING OF CASHEW-RELATED BUSINESSES, IMPROVE FARMING PRACTICES ON CASHEW FARMS AND BUILD THE CAPACITY OF CASHEW PROCESSORS TO ORGANIZE FOR GREATER BARGAINING POWER. UNDER THE LIFFT-CASHEW PROJECT AN ADDITIONAL 56 KM OF FEEDER ROADS HAVE BEEN CONSTRUCTED IN SENEGAL, AND 25 ASSOCIATIONS SUPPORTED TO REGISTER AS COOPERATIVE SOCIETIES THAT WERE THEN LINKED WITH FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS TO ACCESS CREDIT FOR FINANCING THE COLLECTION AND SALE OF NUTS (36,000 TONS) OF THE COOPERATIVES' MEMBERS. AT THE SAME TIME, HE AGRICULTURE COMPONENT HAS ASSISTED IN THE INSTALLATION OF FOUR NURSERIES AND THE TRAINING OF 1,900 PRODUCERS IN GOOD AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES. THE PROJECT ALSO STARTED THE GEOREFERENCING OF 2375 PRODUCERS IN SENEGAL, WITH 34% ALREADY COMPLETED. THIS GEOREFERENCING IS ESSENTIAL FOR THE ORGANIC CASHEW PROGRAM. TO FACILITATE THE TRADE OF CASHEW KERNELS WITH THE USA. SIX PROCESSING UNITS WERE TRAINED IN FOOD SAFETY (HACCP). TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF CASHEW NUTS AND IMPROVE MARKETING WITHIN THE SIX COOPERATIVES, EACH RECEIVED ONE NUT CRUSHER, ONE MOISTURE METER, ONE TRICYCLE, ONE MOTORCYCLE, AND TWO SCALES. STORAGE FACILITIES WERE REHABILITATED TO ACCOMMODATE 4,992 CUBIC METERS OF CASHEWS. REHABILITATION OF STORAGE FACILITIES FOR 3,197 CUBIC METERS IS UNDERWAY, AS IS NEW CONSTRUCTION FOR STORAGE OF 6,370 CUBIC METERS.A SECOND PROJECT, FINANCED BY THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE'S BUREAU OF POPULATION, REFUGEES AND MIGRATION (PRM), IS TO INITIATE AND FACILITATE A REPLICABLE PROCESS FOR THE RETURN OF DISPLACED POPULATION TO THEIR COMMUNITIES OF ORIGIN. SINCE 2018 SFL HAS FACILITATED THE CONSTRUCTION OF 1,450 DURABLE SHELTERS, CONSTRUCTED 1,300 LATRINES AND BUILT 53 DRINKING WATER WELLS. THE BENEFICIARIES OF THE PROJECT ARE SELECTED FROM AMONG THE MOST VULNERABLE FAMILIES OF FORMER REFUGEES AND INTERNALLY DISPLACED POPULATIONS WHO HAVE COME BACK TO CASAMANCE. THIS PROJECT IMPACTED DIRECTLY OVER 14,500 PERSONS IN THE SOUTHERN SENEGAL REGION OF CASAMANCE.GUINEA BISSAU PROGRAM:SHELTER FOR LIFE INTERNATIONAL BEGAN WORKING IN GUINEA BISSAU IN 2019. FOLLOWING YEARS OF POLITICAL INSTABILITY AND INTERNAL CONFLICT, GUINEA BISSAU'S ECONOMY HAS STAGNATED. GUINEA BISSAU IS A MAJOR CASHEW PRODUCER, AND THE QUALITY OF ITS CASHEWS IS CONSIDERED MORE DESIRABLE IN GLOBAL MARKETS. HOWEVER, BECAUSE IT IS CONSIDERED A FRAGILE STATE, THE COUNTRY HAS HAD DIFFICULTY ATTRACTING INVESTMENT IN THE HARVESTING, PROCESSING, AND TRADE OF CASHEWS TO GLOBAL MARKETS.SFL'S WORK IN GUINEA BISSAU IS PART OF ITS REGIONAL CASHEW VALUE CHAIN PROGRAM, FUNDED BY THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE (USDA). IN 2020, SFL ESTABLISHED AN OFFICE IN GUINEA BISSAU AND REGISTERED ITS PRESENCE WITH THE COUNTRY'S GOVERNMENT. AS A RESULT, SFL FACILITATED THE CONSTRUCTION OF 66 KM OF RURAL ROADS AND CREATED 1,740 JOBS. TO IMPROVE RELATIONS AND STANDARDIZE THE SECTOR, SFL HAS ESTABLISHED A PARTNERSHIP WITH ALL THE ACTORS IN THE CASHEW VALUE CHAIN. SFL WORKS WITH EIGHT COOPERATIVES, TWO FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS, AND 44 BUYERS. GOVERNMENT ACTORS PARTICIPATE IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF ACTIVITIES THROUGH THE INTERDISCIPLINARY STEERING COMMITTEE THAT WAS ESTABLISHED IN 2021. AS A RESULT, SFL IS IN THE FINAL STAGES OF DEVELOPING A WAREHOUSE RECEIPT SYSTEM (WRS) FOR GUINEA-BISSAU. TRAINING ON GOOD AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES WAS PROVIDED TO 9,227 CASHEW PRODUCERS THROUGH PRE-SELECTED COOPERATIVE MEMBERS AS TRAINERS, WHO ATTENDED THEMATIC TRAIN-THE-TRAINER MODULES ON PRUNING, NUT SEPARATION, DRYING, STORAGE, AND ORGANIC STANDARDS. OF THESE PRODUCERS, 2,361 APPLIED GOOD AGRICULTURE PRACTICES (GAP). A TOTAL OF 721 TRAINERS WERE TRAINED. SFL COLLECTED STATISTICS FROM 10,492 FARMERS, INCLUDING 3,340 WOMEN. THESE STATISTICS WILL BE COUPLED WITH THE GEOREFERENCING CURRENTLY UNDERWAY IN THE COUNTRY.THE GAMBIA PROGRAM:AFTER THE COMPLETION OF REGISTRATION AND OTHER LEGAL WORK IN 2019, SFL BEGAN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE LIFFT-CASHEW PROJECT IN THE GAMBIA IN 2020.FROM 2020 TO DATE, SFL SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED THE CONSTRUCTION OF 13 KILOMETERS OF ROADS IN THE WEST COAST (7 KM) AND NORTH BANK (6 KM) REGIONS OF THE GAMBIA. A TOTAL OF 526 CASH FOR WORK LABORERS WERE EMPLOYED DURING THE CONSTRUCTION WORKS, WHICH INCLUDED THE REHABILITATION OF THREE CASHEW NUT WAREHOUSES (1,625 CUBIC METERS CAPACITY) AND ONE CASHEW NUT WAREHOUSE (400 CUBIC METERS CAPACITY) CONSTRUCTED, USED DURING THE CASHEW SEASON. A TOTAL OF 2,324 FARMERS WERE TRAINED ON GOOD AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES (GAP) OF WHICH 875 FARMERS APPLIED THESE PRACTICES ON 1,771 HECTARES OF CASHEW PLANTATIONS. TWO MODEL TREE NURSERY MANAGERS WERE TRAINED. A TOTAL OF 910 CASHEW SEEDLINGS WERE PLANTED TO REPLACE AGING CASHEW TREES.FOUR COOPERATIVES WERE ESTABLISHED THROUGH THE PROJECT INCLUDING 2,465 MEMBERS.TO IMPROVE ACCESS TO FINANCE, MARKET LINKAGES, AND TRADE, FINANCIAL TRANSACTIONS BETWEEN BUYERS AND COOPERATIVES, INCLUDING 16 COMMERCIAL CONTRACTS, TOTALING $4,138,871 WERE CONDUCTED, FACILITATING THE SALE OF 2,022 METRIC TONS OF RAW CASHEW NUTS BY FIVE COOPERATIVES.SHELTER FOR LIFE FACILITATED THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A CASHEW SECTOR STEERING COMMITTEE TO INFLUENCE POLICY AND FURTHER DEVELOP THE CASHEW MARKET INFORMATION SYSTEM AND INDICATOR MANAGEMENT SYSTEM.

AFGHANISTAN PROGRAM:SHELTER FOR LIFE INTERNATIONAL HAS BEEN WORKING IN AFGHANISTAN SINCE 1998 WITH A PRIMARY FOCUS OF RESTORING THE LIVES OF THE VICTIMS OF THE COUNTRY'S WARS AND DISASTERS AND REBUILDING THEIR COMMUNITIES. MOST OF THE COMMUNITIES WHERE SFL OPERATES ARE INTERNALLY DISPLACED POPULATIONS, RETURNED REFUGEES AND THOSE AFFECTED BY NATURAL DISASTER DURING THE YEARS. IN 2021 SFL WORKED IN THE PROVINCES OF BADAKHSHAN, TAKHAR, KUNDUZ, JAWZJAN, BALKH, SAMANGAN AND KABUL. TO RESTORE FOOD AND AGRICULTURE SECTORS' PRODUCTIVITY, RESTORE AND PRESERVE SOIL QUALITY IN FARMING COMMUNITIES, REDUCE THE IMPACT OF NATURAL DISASTERS, PARTICULARLY LANDSLIDES, SFL IMPLEMENTED THESE PROJECTS IN THE AFOREMENTIONED PROVINCES.1. SFL NEWLY BUILT 2.5 KM OF NEW IRRIGATION CANALS IN TWO PROVINCES OF BADAKHSHAN AND KABUL, COMPLETION OF THIS CANAL CASED TO CHANGE OVER 5000 ACERS OF LAND CURRENTLY WHOLLY RAIN-FED TO IRRIGATED LAND, THEREBY ASSISTING FARMERS WITH CROP YIELDS, AND REFOREST LANDS WITH FRUIT AND NON-FURIT TREES. UTILIZING THIS ACCESS TO WATER, FARMERS ABLE TO MAKE USE OF AGRICULTURAL LANDS FOR DOUBLE CROPPING DURING THE YEAR. THIS RESULTED TO PROVIDE MORE AGRICULTURAL OUTPUT FOR LOCAL FARMERS AND INCREASED ACCESS TO MORE INCOME.2. ALTOGETHER 28.7 KM OF IRRIGATION CANAL EXPANDED. 75.3 METER OF WASH CULVERT CONSTRUCTED ALONG TO IRRIGATION CANAL IN BADAKHSHAN AND KABUL PROVINCES. THESE ACTIVITIES PROVIDED MUCH NEEDED MANAGEMENT OF WATER, SO AS TO PROVIDE LOCAL COMMUNITIES AND FARMERS WITH ACCESS TO MORE IRRIGATION PURPOSES. ADDITIONALLY, THE PROJECT PREVENT OR ELIMINATE SOIL DEGRADATION, FLOODS AND NEGATIVE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT.3. SFL CONSTRUCTED DISASTER RISK REDUCTION (DRR) INFRASTRUCTURES: BUILT 756 METERS (STONE MASONRY, RCC, PCC AND GABION PROTECTION WALL ALONG WITH 125-METER STONE MASONRY AND RCC DITCH CONSTRUCTED IN TWO DIFFERENT LOCATIONS FOR TWO PROVINCES (BADAKHSHAN AND KABUL). THESE SYSTEMS IN AN EFFORT TO MITIGATE THE NEGATIVE IMPACT OF FLOODS AND BETTER MANAGE IRRIGATION WATER FLOW AND PROTECTED MORE THAN 2800 OF RESIDENTIAL HOUSES, 2 SCHOOLS BUILDING, AND MORE THAN OF 2000 ACRES OF AGRICULTURAL LANDS AND NUMBER OF PUBLIC ROADS. 4. THE SFL LIVELIHOODS PROJECTS STABLISHED 50 KITCHEN GARDENS AND SUPPORTED 79 MOST VULNERABLE WOMEN/HOUSEHOLDS TO PROVIDE WOMEN AN OPPORTUNITY TO ASSIST IN THEIR COMMUNITIES. DURING THE PROJECT PERIOD THE SELECTED FEMALE BENEFICIARIES RECEIVED TECHNICAL TRAINING FROM SFL TRAINER ON KITCHEN GARDENING ACTIVITIES. ADDITIONALLY, THESE WOMEN PROVIDED WITH KITCHEN GARDENING TOOL KITS AND VEGETABLE SEEDS. THESE WOMEN REALIZE IMPROVED THEIR ECONOMIC CONDITION FOR THEIR FAMILIES THROUGH CULTIVATION, CONSUMPTION AND SALE OF VERITY OF VEGETABLE PRODUCT GROWN IN THE KITCHEN GARDENS.5. FORESTATION: SFL PLANTED 10000 UNITS FRUIT AND NON-FRUIT TREES ALONG TO IRRIGATION CANAL AND EXCAVATION OF 500 UNITS OF TERRACES (10X1X1M) IN BADAKHSHAN AND KABUL PROVINCES. THESE ACTIVITIES PROTECTING OF DESTRUCTION OF THE CANAL AND IMPROVE GROUND WATER TABLE AND PROTECT SOIL EROSION.6. INCOME GENERATION ACTIVITIES: 15 MOST VULNERABLE WOMEN, HAVE BEEN SELECTED AND ESTABLISHED BEEKEEPING ACTIVITIES IN BADAKHSHAN PROVINCE. THIS ACTIVITY CAUSED TO IMPROVE FOOD SECURITY AND LIVELIHOOD CONDITION IN TARGETED HOUSEHOLDS. 7. LIVELIHOOD ACTIVITIES: 6 UNITS OF GREENHOUSES, ESTABLISHMENT OF NURSERIES IN 11,500M2 LAND, ESTABLISHMENT OF 18 UNITS OF HOUSE GARDENING IN KABUL AND BADAKHSHAN PROVINCES. THESE ACTIVITIES WERE SPECIFICALLY ALLOCATED FOR WOMEN BENEFICIARIES. THESE ACTIVITIES IMPROVING THE OVERALL QUALITY OF LIVING CONDITIONS OF THE TARGETED POPULATION. IN THE AREA.8. ESHAN HA IRRIGATION CANAL/ AYBAK DISTRICT, A 400-METER LONG STONE MASONRY IRRIGATION CANAL CONSTRUCTED IN ESHAN HA VILLAGE. THE CANAL LENGTH OF THIS CANAL IS 12KM, SIX VILLAGES ARE BENEFITING FROM THIS CANAL. UTILIZING THIS ACCESS TO WATER, COOPERATIVE AND LOCAL FARMERS ABLE TO MAKE USE OF IRRIGATION LAND FOR DOUBLE CROPPING DURING SEASONS. THE RESULT, PROVIDED MORE AGRICULTURAL OUTPUT FOR LOCAL FARMERS AND INCREASED ACCESS TO MORE INCOMES. THEREBY IMPROVING OVERALL LIVELIHOODS. MEANWHILE, THE PROJECT PREVENT SOIL DEGRADATION AND FLOODS. 9. SUSTAINABLE FOOD SYSTEM (SFS): BASIC TRAINING ON IMPROVED WHEAT SEED CULTIVATION METHOD, POST-HARVEST AND MARKETING CONDUCTED TO 1000 SMALLHOLDER COOPERATIVE FARMERS UNDER SFS PROJECT INTO DO AB IN SAMANGAN PROVINCE. ADDITIONALLY, FARMERS RECEIVED IMPROVED WHEAT SEED AND FERTILIZERS DURING THE PROJECT PERIOD. CULTIVATION METHODS FOCUSING BEST AGRONOMIC PRACTICES TO AVOID DAMAGE OF CROPS FROM PESTS AND DISEASE, PROPER HARVEST METHODOLOGIES AND AVOID LOSES.10. SUSTAINABLE FOOD SYSTEM: UNDER THIS PROGRAM NUTRITION, DIETARY AND DIVERSITY AS WELL AS COVID-19 TRAINING HAVE BEEN CONDUCTED TO 300 IN SAMANGAN PROVINCE. THESE TRAININGS CONDUCTED THROUGH SFL FEMALE STUFF TOGETHER WITH DIRECTORATE OF HOME ECONOMY OF DAIL DURING THE PROJECT PERIOD, THESE TRAININGS HELPED TO INCREASED KNOWLEDGE AND PARTICIPATION OF WOMEN IN THE LOCAL LABOR MARKET.11. DISTRIBUTION OF SMALL-SCALE AGRICULTURAL TOOLS: 1100 TARGETED SMALLHOLDER FARMERS RECEIVED (BACK SPRAYER, PUMP AND HAND SICKLE), EACH FARMER RECEIVED (ONE UNIT OF EACH). THESE TOOLS HELP THE FARMERS TO MAKE USE THESE TOOLS AT ANY TIME DURING THE FIELD WORK WHILE ITS REQUIRED.12. STRENGTHENING SOYA FOOD SYSTEM: UNDER SOYA CULTIVATION PROGRAM 1100 SMALLHOLDER FARMERS' CAPACITATED ON SOYBEAN CULTIVATION, AND PRODUCTION YIELD. THE OVERALL OBJECTIVE OF THIS PROJECT WAS TO IMPROVE HOUSEHOLD FOOD ACCESS AND NUTRITION IN ALL FOUR TARGETED PROVINCES (TAKHAR, KUNDUZ, BALKH AND JAWZJAN). BOTH WOMEN AND MEN/ SMALLHOLDER FAMERS HAVE IMPROVED FOOD SECURITY AND NUTRITION THOUGHT INCREASED PRODUCTION, MARKETING AND CONSUMPTION OF SOYA AND SOYA BASED PRODUCTS. ALL TARGETED BENEFICIARIES RECEIVED TECHNICAL TRAINING ON SOYBEAN CULTIVATION POST HARVESTING AND MARKETING. 13. PROCURED AND HANDED OVER FOUR UNITS OF THRESHER MACHINES TO SOYBEAN FOOD ASSOCIATION (ONE/PROVINCE) THEY USE THESE MACHINERY FOR THEIR HARVESTING TIME.14. CONSTRUCTION OF SOY FARMER ASSOCIATION CENTER: SFL CONSTRUCTED FOUR BUILDING OF ASSOCIATION CENTER, ONE/ PROVINCE TO FACILITATE GOVERNMENT ENTITIES FOR COORDINATION/ MEETINGS WITH SOYA FARMERS AT THE PROVINCIAL LEVEL. IN THIS CENTER, MAJOR RELATED MEETINGS, WORKSHOPS COULD BE CONDUCTED BETWEEN SOYA FOOD ASSOCIATION MEMBERS AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS. THESE CENTERS FURNISHED AND HANDED OVER TO SFA OFFICIALLY AT THE END OF THE PROJECT.