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Problem / Project
Background
The decades of destruction and now rapidly changing social
and economic conditions in Afghanistan have forced women into
multiple roles as food producers, care providers, income generators
and decision makers under conditions of limited financial
resources without the help of a spouse or other support.
In stable conditions, Afghanistan's traditional social safety
networks would respond to the needs of vulnerable households
and contribute support for their survival. Sadly, these support
mechanisms have been stretched to the limit in Afghanistan
mainly due to the drastically changing social and economic
realities. Local communities can no longer provide a foundation
to adequately support and provide for those in need.
More and more these characteristically poor female-headed
poor households find themselves in a downward spiral of resources
and asset depletion that eventually leads to destitution and
begging, a sight not uncommon on the streets of Afghan cities.
Helmand was once one of the most productive provinces in
the south in terms of agricultural cultivation but during
the past four years of drought, many rural people were seriously
affected and flocked into the Lashkargah. This, combined with
growing refugee returnee populations in a city with limited
resources, has meant mounting need among many of its residents.
Lashkargah, with a population of 36,600 according to 2003
UN estimates, contains 2 districts and attached to the city
is Mullah Mukhtar camp for internally displaced persons. Most
of these people moved here as a result of the severe drought.
Therefore, many households in the area are in need of emergency
food support.
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With the flow of people into Lashkargah,
the population is increasing daily, with growing cases of
hunger and joblessness, needy widows and helpless orphans.
As currently planned, 10 bakeries will be
established with each bakery serving 400 household beneficiaries.
Each household beneficiary will be distributed 5 units of
bread per day; the cost of these 5 units of bread will be
7 Afghanis. (WFP has set this price based on similar programmes
it operates throughout Afghanistan.) Daily, a total of 20,000
units of bread will be produced once this project is fully
operational.
Project Objectives
Improving health and nutrition of urban, poor families headed
by widows or the disabled while also allowing them to save
their limited funds for use elsewhere such as for education
for their children.
Project Activities
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10 women's bakeries established and equipped
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4000 widow and/or disabled-headed families provided with
access to subsidized bread on a daily basis (30,000 people
total)
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100 widows employed
Beneficiaries
4000 widow- or disabled-headed families (30,000 people total)
receiving daily subsidised bread and 100 widow's employed
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