www.microaid.org

MICROAID PROJECTS A Brief Introduction

2011

Photo caption: Fransiska (with thumbs up), Katharina, Bibiana, Kartini and Ester Ngole, five of the seven families from Wailiti village, Indonesia

in their cabbage vegetable garden. Delighted with their new home enterprise sponsored by MicroAid donors.

What is MicroAid Projects? MicroAid Projects is a development charity that reaches out to poor families via the internet with simple training in profitable family enterprise.

Our Vision: Families helping to reduce poverty together. MicroAid's Mission: Empower poor families to eradicate poverty from their lives through family enterprise. MicroAid's Goals: 1. Establish local MicroAid community facilitation partners (CFPs) in poor areas 2. CFPs connect low income families online to MicroAid grants for practical, family enterprise, skills training. 3. Increase total family income of poor families particularly through women's enterprise to above $2 per family member per day sustainably, without further intervention. MicroAid's work: More than 800 poor families from 6 developing countries including Indonesia, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Uganda and Kenya have participated in MicroAid Projects through direct donations family to family across the world.

MicroAid Projects is a family social network started in 1998 and registered as a charity in 2008 with UK Registered Charity Number 1125206. Web : www.microaid.org Email : admin@microaid.org

Margaret learning to make woven fabric for better more saleable designs sponsored by MicroAid donors

How MicroAid Projects Work

Families meet in a small group to discuss with the MicroAid Community Facilitation Partner (CFP) who facilitates a village meeting to discover their needs and propose simple livelihoods learning activities in a small micro-project.

When the micro-project activities (including budget and beneficiary names) have been agreed upon, a micro project is written up and agreed by all

The CFP then uploads the micro project proposal onto the MicroAid Projects web site at www.microaid.org

The micro project is approved on the MicroAid Projects web site by MicroAid administration office in Jakarta Indonesia

Donors view the micro projects and the ideas low income families have to eradicate poverty from their lives. You choose and fund the micro projects you like best.

Within about two weeks of donations being received, the CFP, together with the local family, will implement the micro project you supported.

On completion, families and CFPs make a report together that includes photos, videos and beneficiary comments. The CFP uploads the report on the MicroAid Projects’ website.

MicroAid administrators then informs donors by email that their MicroAid Project report is available online.Donors have the opportunity to ask questions, offer feedback and suggestions for the future.

Where MicroAid Projects work

In 2011, MicroAid Projects has been operating in 6 countries as follows:

INDONESIA

MicroAid Projects has a management office in Depok, a growing city in West Java province, Indonesia. In the office there is 3 management staff who works every day to manage the web site, micro-projects, project reports, photographs and videos as well as creating campaigns and newsletters for MicroAid Projects. In Indonesia there are 13 Community Facilitation Partners (CFP), many of whom have been with MicroAid Projects since 2000. There are over 650 low income families who have implemented micro-projects funded by MicroAid Projects donors. The families are scattered across 6 provinces including DKI Jakarta, West Java, Yogyakarta, East Nusa Tenggara, Southeast Sulawesi and Aceh. The types of micro-projects activity that low income families often propose in Indonesia are: Women’s home enterprise activities, pilot testing New Local products, Food Processing Training, Handicrafts production for market demand, Agriculture, Fisheries and Livestock enterprises.

INDIA

Since 2006, there are two CFPs in India who have joined MicroAid Projects. They are located in the provinces of Tamil Nadu and Howra and have been carrying out micro-projects with 70 low income families. There are still some new CFP is in the registration process to join the MicroAid Projects. Until now, many types of activities proposed by the families in India are: Women's Activities such as sewing practical and learn to sell vegetables, Food Processing Trainings and Agriculture. They have carried out several micro-projects funded by MicroAid Projects donors and are active in making micro-project proposals and reports.

PAKISTAN

In Pakistan, MicroAid Projects is in two provinces, Sahiwal province and the Punjab. In this country there are two CFPs who have joined MicroAid Projects since 2007 and they have 100 poor families who have registered and are implementing micro-projects funded by MicroAid Projects donors. In Pakistan, many poor families who have proposed micro-projects such as: Weaving reeds and carpets, sewing clothes and learnt new design for shoes.

BANGLADESH

Bangladesh is another poor Asian country that has implemented MicroAid Projects in Gaibandha Province. At the beginning of the registration process, a CFP in Bangladesh who wanted to join the MicroAid Projects experienced a few problems because the authorization process in Bangladesh did not allow connections with international institutions such as MicroAid Projects. But, after several weeks of studying the vision and mission of MicroAid Projects by the Bangladeshi government, they allowed the CFP to join and receive funds with MicroAid Projects. In this country also the implementation of micro projects funded by MicroAid Projects has had visits by top state officials to monitor and see how MicroAid Projects are implemented. There are about 100 poor families who have registered and have implemented micro-projects funded by donors MicroAid Projects. In Bangladesh, many poor families who have proposed micro-projects such as: Sewing practical, duck livestock, bee cultivation, fish trap, herbal tea and training for face make-up.

KENYA

Kenya is an African country that has been implementing micro-projects funded by MicroAid Projects donors. Since 2008 two CFP in Kenya have joined and have more than 100 registered poor families. Our CFPs in Kenya are very enthusiastic about implementing micro-projects, as evidenced by the number of family members are involved in micro-project registration even though their villages are not enrolled in a local CFP. But because they want to know and want to have a new skill, they come from outside villages to get involved directly with MicroAid Projects activities. MicroAid Projects is in Kitale province and many poor families there who suggested the type of activities such as: Organic farming, make yoghurt and trying out a simple technology save energy

UGANDA

In Uganda, MicroAid Projects is in Kampala province. There is 1 CFP and approximately 50 poor families who have registered and implementing micro-projects which funded by MicroAid Projects donors. In this state the type of activities that are often suggested by the poor families is Livestock Husbandry activities, such as raising pigs.

Case Study Micro-Project Reports More than 800 poor families from 6 developing countries including Indonesia, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Uganda

and Kenya have participated in MicroAid Projects

7 families and 3 women groups find success with a community vegetable garden Story: The vegetable garden in Wailiti Village, Indonesia is a family-run farm by seven families who received training to create a community vegetable garden funded by MicroAid Projects’ donors. The vegetable garden is currently only about 400 square meters. The women’s group has expansion planned later, as proceeds from the sale of vegetables from the first harvest start coming in. In June 2011 the families harvested cabbages for the first time and managed to sell 340 cabbages. The selling price per cabbage was 40p so the money earn came to £136. The money was then divided between seven families, so that every family received £19. Harvesting the cabbages is carried out every 4 weeks. Read more

23 kids back to school Story: MicroAid Projects to learn business skills has given big opportunities for groups of poor families in Indonesia, Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Kenya and Uganda. Through learning new skills their incomes have been increased so they can finance and send all their children to school sustainably. Today, Thomas and four of his children help Fransiska after school in the watering and clearing the family's garden in East Nusa Tengara, Indonesia with pride. They are very grateful to MicroAid donors who have given them the opportunity to learn new skills and how to make money from a vegetable garden so that they can find a way to eradicate their poverty themselves. Read more

2 latrines and 1 new home have renovated Story: After finishing her training, 15 days later Akhter received some fabric and sewing equipment obtained from the MicroAid Projects sewing training. Then Akhter began practicing on her own making women's clothes. Akhter was very diligent and now she has made a lot of clothes that are sold to order to her friends. The MicroAid CFP SJOK team helped Akhter by giving her lower-priced fabric and helping with the marketing of the clothes in the kiosk in her village and also checking up regularly on her progress. In the startup period, Akhter obtained a net income of US$0.40 cents per piece of cloth. Currently, she has managed to increase sales and earn income to US 1 Dollar per piece of cloth. Akhter also has helped improve the welfare of her family by making a

better and permanent family latrine. Now she is not dependent on money from her parents. Jhony Akhter thinks that after six months, she will be able to buy a new sewing machine and expand her business. Read more

6 young men started new business

Story: My name is Hendrawanto. I am 23 years old. Before the training to learn to make silver jewelry (see micro project PUSP1303), I initially was just a public vehicle’s driver in Cilebut village, West Java, Indonesia and has no fixed income. Sometimes in a day I only earn Rp 10,000 (USD $1) and sometimes losing money because no passenger to pay the rent I pay for the mini bus and fuel. This is certainly not sufficient for the needs of my household and school fees of my children. I decided to find another better livelihood. In January 2010 with two friends, I followed the training activities to make silver jewelry which was funded by MicroAid Projects. My father was pleased that through this training, I became aware that

making silver jewelry is not too difficult. After studying for a month with friends and was encouraged by my own father, now I can help my father run the family business making silver jewelry. My father was a silversmith working from home on casual orders. I now already have two staff who is my friend who trained with me. Now we are working together in family enterprise and my livelihood has improved. Read more

A new technology has launched – laundry soap from potatoes

Story: MicroAid CFP Community Empowerment Programme Sustainable Development (COSDEP) is a non governmental organization working in Kenya. COSDEP helps poor families learn new livelihoods skills that helps these women raise income for their families.A family group in Kamung'ang'a village in Kenya, has learnt to make soap from potatoes. They also use other agricultural products such as tomatoes to make tomato jam and milk to make yogurt. A MicroAid micro-project was carried out in May 2010, by introducing a simple new technology to make laundry soap made from potatoes readily available in their village. Besides food, potatoes can be processed into soap. The tomatoes are also

numerous in the village which also made jam. Read more

A new approach, to kill pests without killing ecology

Story: Tovan Mahendra - a MicroAid Projects Organic Entrepreneur and CFP in Aceh Indonesia, has introduced new technologies that are environmentally friendly and do not damage the natural ecology. The result of the current trial has been used by many neighbouring farmers' village. Organic liquid fertilizer and pesticide produces organic produce free from harmful chemical additives. With products that are introduced by Tovan, many farmers can cultivate paddy rice crops and can prevent any future plant pests without killing the pest. Yes it’s true, do not kill the pests, ward them off as they are part of mother nature’s natural eco system, which we destroy at our peril. Read more

Learning new skills has also helped:

A family business making soy milk and provided income for 11 families of other neighbors 30 young victims of natural disasters have the skills to make handicrafts from recycled paper 5 families who managed to take advantage of discarded chicken feet as a highly nutritious food and sold

them in the local market Provide new skills and knowledge to 2 local facilitators so they can make the village library that used by 150

children victims of natural disasters. See a video documentation 3 women who could make traditional clothing for dolls and help augment the family income for the 5 other

neighbors

What are our future aims and objectives?

Provide an opportunity for many poor families to have the new skills so they can increase incomes and educate their children

Create and develop mobile applications that connect local buying agents to their producers at the bottom of the pyramid.

Livelihoods WIKI of simple steps to creating profitable livelihoods connections.

Fact Sheet

MicroAid is a family social network started in 1998 and registered as a charity in 2008 with UK Registered Charity Number: 1125206

• MicroAid delivers learning packages to low income families via local community facilitation partners (CFPs)

and the Internet and uses many social networks

• MicroAid was awarded Charity of the Month by Socialize Your Cause in April 2010

MicroAid was the world's first direct online micro-grant platform.

MicroAid Projects was co-founded by Richard and Toby Beresford. Previously, MicroAid Projects Chairman and Co-Founder Richard was an UN Poverty Eradication and micro-finance consultant and Toby was an ICT consultant and innovator in social networking

The minimum amount that can be granted to a low income family on MicroAid Projects is as little as $10. PayPal and Just Giving provides MicroAid Projects with payment processing

MailChimp and Vertical Response (e-newsletter supplier) provides MicroAid Projects with free of charge for distributing the monthly newsletter and articles. Enroll for Newsletter

MicroAid Projects partners with local NGOs and microfinance institutions, as Community Facilitation Partners (CFPs) in six developing countries.

MicroAid receives no organizational sponsorship or Government grants. It is entirely funded by individual family donors.

Anyone with an email address can create a MicroAid Projects Donor Account and make a pledge of what contribution to eradicating poverty they would like to using a credit card or PayPal account.

MicroAid Projects is headquartered in Jakarta (Indonesia) and London (UK) and currently employs 3 full-time staff members

MicroAid Projects can be found on Facebook, Twitter, Blog, Flickr, Picasa Web and YouTube November 2011 MicroAid Projects Team