SUCCESS STORY:

Image taken by: Dr.Habibi Shagofan returnee cluster Hirat /Afghanistan.

We WILL EARN THROUGH DIARY COW REARING, MY SON

THROUGH VOCATIONAL TRAINING AND EVEN MY ill HUSBAND
TRGOUH THE INVOLVEMENT IN OUR SHELTER BACKYARD
GUARDENING, TWO TO THREE TIMES MORE THAN, WHAT, WE,
WERE, EARNING IN EXILE.
A 38 yrs old returnee woman examines her revenue of reintegration component with
support of UNHCR sub office Herat.

Consequences of update need assessments in early 2011,conducted by

UNHCR SOH with extensive collaboration of its potential
implementing partners & DoRR of Islamic Government of Afghanistan , it
was realized that, in west region of Afghanistan still ,deficient of public
services, lack of basic infrastructure, lack of access to a basic shelter,
unemployment, landlessness, property disputes, underprovided health,
education and transport services especially in rural areas are among the
series of problems, that the returnees struggle with.

UNHCR as main a branch of United Nation for support and protection of

returnees and refugees, annually plans sustainable reintegration
programs for support of the most vulnerable returnees and IDPs who are
facing lack of employment opportunity, with the aim to facilitate their
voluntary, will-informed, safe and dignified return of refugees & IDPs as
well as income and accommodation in their places of settlement.
In 2011, in line to achieve the goal of integrated approach for sustainable
reintegration in Afghanistan, Shagofan cluster was chosen as the first
model reintegration pilot site by UNHCR in Herat city and sofar a pilot
package of reintegration programs such as shelter, income generation,
vocational training, cash for works, backyard gardening for creating
involvement opportunity for women, Animal husbandry trough the
distribution of dairy cows, goats and necessary toolkits implemented yet.

Under animal husbandry project 2 goats per women for 90 women, and
One cow per 2 poor identified women /15 cows for 30 women, plus
necessary tool kits .i.e. one wheel borrow, one aluminum dishes , one milk
machine, 2 sickles ,1 Grass cutter with wooden arm,16 meter of textile
rope, 4 plastic sack, 1 Plastic bucket for animal provender,1 Milk filter, 2
Apron,2 Jerrycan,1 plastic bucket,1 plastic basin,1 dipper,3 detergent
solution,2 Gloves,5 Mask,5 detergent Soap ,plus necessary training by
veterinarian specialist were provided .

By December 2011 a final monitoring was conducted to examine the

impacts of the animal husbandry project on the target beneficiaries.

The UNHCR filed monitoring team interviewed with one of the returnee
families who returned from Iran to Afghanistan under the VRF# of
3089436 has benefited from reintegration components of Animal
husbandry, backyard gardening and shelter in the current year.

The house hold of this returnee family named Sayed Esmaeel son of said
Musa aged 49 yrs elder suffering from chronic back bone disease since 8
years ago, but was seen with most happy spirits at the time of the
interview as he himself was benefited through the assistance of backyard
gardening inside his new built shelter, her son benefited from vocational
training & her spouse (Ms Kobra) together with IDP family named
Rababah who is living in her poor neighborhood, were both benefited from
Animal Husbandry (distribution of one dairy cow plus necessary toolkits .
The family was composed of 4 members mentioning bellow:
Father: Sayed Esmaeel S/O Said Mosa as head of household none
educated and aged 49.
Spouse: Ms Kobra a house wife D/O Gholam Hossain aged 38Yrs.
Sons: Mr.Ibrahim 19 years old benefited from wiring skill training
program funded by UNHCR in 2011.
The last son: aged 17 named Naeem, student in elementary school.
This family is originally from Nile district of Dai Kondi Province in the
east part of Afghanistan, their main occupation in their places of orifin
was Animal Husbandry and livestock ,Ms Kobra continued the interview
and told the story from her dismal situation her and her family endured in
Iran.

We emigrated to Iran because of lack of employment opportunity

and internal wars and conflicts, We have stayed in Varamin area
of Iran for 15 years my child were too small , I was washing the
cloths and had a cleaner occupation , my husband Esmaeel was
Casual labor in Varamin and few years involved in vegetable
farms in Iran , We were always expecting to have better living
and wishing for prosperity and lasting peace to return
Afghansitan and struggling to build our family economy, being
self sufficient, while returning our fatherhood territory .

Her husband Sayed Ismaeel had an accident 10 years ago in Iran and his
backbone got broken, they expensed all their cash and whatever, they
saved for their future ,since then he cannot perform heavy works and they
have to follow the treatment once every three years .

Any way due to the cheap price of the land plots, good security and access
to local market of Heart as well as existence of their relatives they
bought a piece of land in Shagofam cluster, fortunately this year this
family could obtain shelter assistant from UNHCR as well.

By end of the interview Ms Rababah stated:

We have no much concern anymore, our donated cow has
reproduced a new calf recently, we are selling 6 Kgs of milk and
use other dairy products for our family food menu as well, Naeem
my son has no worry, he will reach to his dream of completing his
studies as I can pay the cost of stationeries and cover his school
petty cash expenses via selling surplus of dairy products in the
cluster.

As the last points she said The entire women communities of shagofan
are very happy with UNHCR striking assistance this year,
Said Esmaeel the head of household, lastly pointed and concluded the interview:
We hope to get more assistance and support through UNHCR, so
we can continue with development of our live stock cooperative
with our CDC in the cluster in future.

Interviewed & story prepared by:

Dr.Sebghatullah.Habibi
Tuesday .January 25th 2012