Shelter for Life International (SFL)

Senegal program:shelter for Life International (sfl) has been working in the natural region of casamance (sedhiou, kolda, and ziguinchor) in 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 by sfl linking casamance farming communities to national and regional markets, the organization is 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. Sfl also implementing a multi-year (2018-2025) regional project linking infrastructure finance and farms to cashew (lifft-cashew) to strengthen and improve cashew nut production, processin 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 procedures to organize for greater bargaining power. Under the lifft-cashew an additional 56 km of feeder roads have been constructed in senegal, and nine (9) associations supported to register as cooperative societies and linked with financial institutions to access credit for financing the collection and sale of nuts (14,000 tons) of members. At the same time, the agriculture component has assisted in the installation of four (04) nurseries and the training of 6,704 producers in good agricultural practices. The project georeferenced cashew farms of 1,393 producers in senegal with 59% already completed. This georeferencing is essential for the organic cashew program. To facilitate the trade of cashew kernels with the usa, 6 processing units were trained in food safety (haccp). To improve the quality of cashew nuts and improve marketing within the nine (09) cooperatives, each received (1 nut crusher, 1 moisture meter, 1 tricycle, 1 motorcycle, and 2 scales, office equipment, computer and internet router,). 6,769m3 of storage volume rehabilitation were subsidized at a shared cost to develop the wrs pilot and 720 m3 for new construction are in process.a second project, financed by the united states department of state, bureau of population, refugees and migration, is to initiate and facilitate a replicable process for the return of displaced population to their communities of origin. Since 2018 sfl facilitated the construction of 1,450 durable shelters, constructed 1300 latrines and built and installed 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 south casamance, senegalese southern region.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 in the world, and the quality of its cashews is considered more desirable in global markets, but 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. Almost 60% of cashew nuts production countess to guinea bissau within segabi region.sfl's work in guinea bissau is part of its regional cashew value chain program, funded by the u.s. department of agriculture. 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 2,129 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 9 cooperatives, two (2) financial institutions, and forty-four (44) buyers. Government actors participate in the development of activities through the interdisciplinary steering committee established in 2021. As a result, sfl is in the final stages of piloting a warehouse receipt system (wrs) for guinea-bissau. Training on good agricultural practices was provided to 10,913 cashew producers through pre-selected cooperative members as trainers, who attended thematic training of -trainer modules on pruning, nut separation, drying, storage, and organic standards. Of these producers, 7,624 applied gap. A total of 84 trainers were trained. Also, (3) nurseries had been established to support the production of improved seedlings designated for the improvement of cashew nuts quality as well as increase the productivity.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 (km) of roads in the west coast (7 km) and north bank (6 km) regions of the gambia. 999 cash for work labourers were employed during the construction works. 3 cashew nut warehouses (2,300m3) rehabilitated and 2 cashew nut warehouse (1,840 m3) constructed, 3,329 farmers trained on good agricultural practices (gap) of which 2,238 farmers applied good agricultural practices on 5,127 ha of cashew plantations. Two model tree nursery managers were trained and supported. 4,287 cashew seedlings were produced and planted to replace aging cashew trees.four (4) cooperatives were established through the project including 4,526 members. The cooperatives were also supported with the establishment of (2) nurseries to contribute to the improved cashew production. On improving access to finance, market linkages, and trade, $6,485,521 in financial transactions between buyers and cooperatives, 16 commercial contracts signed linking buyers and cooperatives, and facilitated the sale of 3,827 mt of rcn by 5 cooperatives (3 established with the support of sfl and additional 2 established by the community).established a cashew sector steering committee to influence policy and developed cashew market information system & indicator management system.

Afghanistan program:shelter for Life International is being 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 disasters during the years. During the years of fy'2021 and 2022 sfl worked in the provinces of badakhshan, takhar, kunduz, jawzjan, balkh, samangan, sari pul, faryab, parwan, kapisa, ghazni, and kabul. To restore food and agriculture sectors' productivity, restore and preserve soil quality in farming communities, and reduce the impact of natural disasters, particularly landslides, floods, anddrought-affectedd populations. Sfl implemented the following projects/ activities for mentioned period:1. New irrigation canal: sfl has newly constructed 21.462 km of new irrigation canals in two provinces of badakhshan and takhar, completion of this canal caused to change over 1,600 hectares of land currently wholly rain-fed to irrigated land, thereby assisting farmers with crop yields and reforest lands with fruit and non-furit trees. Untilizing this access to water, farmers are able to make use of agricultural lands for double cripping during the year. This resulted to provide more agricultural output for local farmers and increased access to more income.2. Irrigation canal improvement: altogether 52.6 km of irrigation canal expanded/ improved, along with 460 meters of wash culvert, 75 meters rcc aqueduct, 70 meters rcc ditch, 121 meters rcc culvert, 1 unit of muddy water settle basin with dimention of (15.2x12x2) meter, 1 unit of rcc water settle basin with size of (6x2.5) meters, 195 meters pcc ditch, 2,673 meters stone masonry ditch, 656 meters stone masonry retianing wall, 15 meters stone masonry weir, 50 meters rcc weir, 200 meters pipe fiting, 16.3 meters spillway and installing of 11 pcs metalic ccontrolgate have been constructed along to multiple irrigation canals in badakhshan, takhar, qhazni 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 prevents or eliminates soil degradation, floods, and negative environmental impact.3. Disaster risk reduction structures (drr): sfl constructed the following drr structure during the years (2021 -2023): 500 meters of stone masonry protection wall, 490 meters of gabion protection wall and 100 meters of pcc protection wall have been constructed in targeted districts of badakhshan, takhar and kabul provinces. These structure effort to mitigate the negative impact of floods and better manage irrigation water flow and protected more than 4,100 of residential houses, 4 school buildings, 1 health clinic building, 1 local market and protect more than 3,000 jeribs of agricultural lands as well as a number of public roads. 4. Drr structure/ flood speed breaker (terrace excavation, muddy water reservior, and water pond: altogether 4,545 units of new terraces (10x1x1 meter), and 516 units of muddy water reservior and water pond with different sizes have been excavated in targeted districts of takhar, badakhshan, ghazani and kabul provinces. These activities protect against the destruction of the canal and improve the ground water table and protect against soil erosion during the seasonal flooding time.5. Income generating activities/ livelihoods projects: sfl established 190 kitchen gardens and supported 190 most vulnerable women/households to provide women an opportunity to assist in their communities in badakhshan, takhar and kabul provinces. During the project period the selected female beneficiaries received technical training from sfl agronomist on kitchen gradening activities. Additionally, these women were provided with kitchen gardening tool kits and vegetable seeds. These women realize improved the economic condition of their families through the cultivation, consumption, and sale of a variety of vegetable products grown in the kitchen gardens.6. Forestation/ tree plantation: sfl planted 45,820 units of fruit and non-fruit trees along the irrigation canal and in the hilly areas in takhar, badakhshan, ghazni, and kabul provinces. The plantation of furit and non-fruit trees helped to protect and preserve the environment and raised the level of underground water.7. Income generation activities poultry, milkey goat distribution: 180 most vulnerable women under resilience building projects have been selected and established poultry activities in badakhshan, takhar, ghazni, parwan, kapisa, and kabul provinces as well as for 50 most vulnerable women 2 milky goats have been distributed in aforementioned provinces. These activities caused improved food security and livelihood conditions in targeted households for short and longer periods of time. 8. Livelihood activities (staplashment of greenhouses, nurseries, houses gardens and straw bwrry ddemonstrationplots): 1.12 units of greenhouses in a 12x4x3m meter area established. 2.12 units of nurseries in 14,000m2 land. 3.20 units of house gardening and 4.40 units of straw berry demo plots in 24,000m2 of land established in badakhshan and takhar provinces these activities were specifically allocated for women beneficiaries. These activities caused to iimprovementthe overall quality of living conditions of the targeted population in the targeted area.9. Sustainable food system (sfs) wheat value chain: basic training on improved wheat seed cultivation method, post-harvest, and marketing training conducted to 1,500 smallholder cooperative farmers under sfs projects in parwan, kapisa and kabul provinces. Additionally, all targeted farmers received altogether (67 mt) of certified wheat and beans seed and 72.5 mt dap, and 52.5 mt of urea fertilizers. During the project period. Basic technical training on cultivation methods focusing on best agronomic practices to avoid damage of crops from pests and disease, proper harvest methodologies and avoiding losses provided to the targeted farmers.10. Distribution of small-scale agricultural tools under sfs project: 1100 targeted smallholder farmers received (reaper machine and hand sickle) during the project implementation. Each farmer who received these tools helped the farmers to make use of these tools at any time during the field work while required. 11. Construction of new rural road: sfl has constructed 22 km new rural road and excavation in 5 targeted districts of takhar and badakhshan provinces, construction of this road caused to connect morethan 2,500 families from village to the market, schools, health services and other social services points. Now the farmers can easily deliver their agricatural products to markets. And villagers have access to the other services points. The construction of mentioned road positively affected on people's livelihood and food security.12. Construction of 1 pc of new water reservoir (25x14x2.5 meters): this structure is made with a capacity of (700m3) of agricultural water in khak e jabar district of kabul province. With the construction of this water reservoir in the mentioned area the community people enhance access to water to use for their agriculture and daily consumations.13: emergency project - distribution of food and cbt: over 250,000 households under the emergency project (unconditional seasonal support food project) received mixed food items (wheat flour, cooking oil, pulses, salt, and nutration food (plumpy and super cereal for children under 5 y and pragnat mothers). Distribution of these food items improved food security levels among women, men, girls, and boys during the lean season.