WCFJC News

January, 2008

Dear Friends:

Best wishes for a Happy and Healthy 2009! Below, a few highlights from the Women’s Center for Job Creation (WCFJC) in 2008. Your generous contributions made a positive impact on the lives of 150 families in Uganda

Funds Received 2005-2008 (US$)

WCFJC current initiatives include dairy goat rearing (50 families), poultry rearing (60 families), a rural beauty salon (25 families) and a rural school project (60 families).

Improved skills and increased knowledge and confidence:

• All initiatives involve capacity building/training. Each beneficiary therefore learned skills they did not have before (animal husbandry and basic business skills).
• Beneficiaries have an increased sense of confidence in their ability to earn higher income and make a positive impact on the well-being of their families. They now inundate WCFJC with requests for support in new initiatives e.g. establishing retail stores, bakeries etc.

Bakery project for which beneficiaries seek assistance	Clients at the beauty salon

Increased incomes:

• Rural beauty salon average monthly income grew from $5 in 2005 to $ 94. Beneficiaries are keen at identifying new ways to grow sales including the recent addition of bridal services.
• Lactating goats yield an average of 2.5 liters of milk per day, sold at $ 0.5 per liter, effectively increasing the incomes of homes with lactating goats by $ 14 per month.
• Poultry project beneficiaries (number = 60) banked a weekly average of $ 500 per week when the birds were at their laying peak. Phase I was concluded in December 2008 with the sale of the poultry. 30 beneficiaries are interested in participating in Phase II.

Improved Nutrition and Food Security:

• Beneficiaries enjoy increased food security in the home and reduced incidence of disease among children in families with a dairy goat.
• Beneficiaries now appreciate integrated farm practices and use manure from their poultry/livestock to fertilize their gardens. They now include vegetables and fruit in their diets, which is a positive change in behavior.

Growing Beneficiary Asset Base:

• Construction of an additional 25 goat sheds, bringing the total number of goat sheds to 50.
• Increase in dairy goat herd size from 11 in 2006 to 56 in 2008 (excluding sold/dead animals).
• Construction and equipping of 11 poultry houses that belong to WCFJC beneficiaries.
• Land purchased for handover to the rural beauty salon. Salon equipment purchased.
• Land purchased for the establishment of a goat breeding center.

One of the goat sheds	One of the poultry houses

Dairy Goats: A grant from MoneyGram Global Giving will fund the establishment of a dairy goat breeding center, allowing WCFJC to breed exotic goats a) for distribution to beneficiaries and b) for sale to other interested parties. Revenue from goat sales will contribute to program sustainability. Your donations will fund the purchase of local female goats ($50 per goat).

Poultry: In December 2008 we concluded Phase I of our Poultry Program. In 2009 a select number of beneficiaries will participate in Phase II, which calls for less support from WCFJC and a greater demonstration of independence from beneficiaries. WCFJC also hopes to secure funding for a self-sustaining poultry rearing demonstration center (Budget: US$ 19,000) and a feeds mixing center (Budget: US$ 10,000). Donations of any amount will be appreciated.

Salon: WCFJC will seek funding for the construction of a beauty salon (Budget: US$ 14,750). Donations of any amount will be appreciated.

Rural School: Donations will be used to purchase scholastic materials. A 48 page exercise book costs US$ 0.12.

Please make your checks payable to Women’s Center for Job Creation. You may also make a donation online, using our secure website. Thank you again!

Yours Truly,