Summaries of HUNGER PROJECTS in Africa
Working with LWR Partners

Kenya: Improving the Livelihoods of Sudansese Refugee Families in Kenyan Urban Centers.

Partners: LWR and Sudanese Women’s Association in Nairobi (SWAN)

As a result of the ongoing civil war in southern Sudan, over six million Sudanese have become internally displaced. Millions have sought refuge inKenya and the other neighboring countries. While many of these refugees live in designated camps, thousands of them find their way into the urban centers of their host countries. With husbands either dead or fighting in the civil war, many women are left to fend for themselves and their families. They come to Kenyan urban areas lacking the literacy skills, education, or capital needed to start a sustainable life. Many of these women live in cheap and unhygienic housing without access to food, water, clothing, medical care, or basic education for themselves and their children. SWAN has attempted to offer assistance through small-business training and micro business loans, as well as literacy training and peace-building networking. Continued support for this effective program will help SWAN scale-up to better meet the needs of these refugees.

GOAL: To improve the quality of life for the target group of Sudanese refugee women by providing access to working capital through an expanded and better-managed micro-credit facility, delivering business development and management training, extending functional literacy to more members and supporting women in undertaking more focused peace-building efforts. 453 women will directly benefit from this project, and the 7,248 indirect beneficiaries will include: 1,359 men, 906 women, 1,872 boys and 2,771 girls. SWAN also intends to strengthen its own institutional capacity to plan for and manage more sustainable and self-sufficient programs.

OBJECTIVES: LWR’s partner, SWAN will:

• Provide “credit institution management for sustainability” training to SWAN executive micro credit program staff and area representatives. Extend working capital loans to 200 SWAN members to expand or start businesses.

• Provide SWAN members business training in strategic planning, marketing, accounting and financial management with credit.

• Train a representative peace committee of 28 SWAN members in mediation and conflict resolution, leadership, human rights, advocacy and lobbying and develop a plan of action for utilizing these skills most effectively.

• Train 50 additional SWAN members in functional literacy.

• Develop a strategic plan for SWAN aimed at guiding funds diversification and achievement of greater self-sufficiency.

Total Project Support: $308,778 through 2004.

Hunger Projects : Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Senegal, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo and Uganda.

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