www.selfhelpafrica.

org
Our Work At A Glance
Burkina Faso/Ethiopia/Eritrea/ghana/
Kenya/Malawi/togo/Uganda/Zambia
 a rural africa free from hunger & poverty

Self Help Africa is a rural development agency that seeks to improve the lives of some of the poorest
communities in Sub-Saharan Africa. The organization works with local staff, local partners and rural
communities in Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Uganda, Togo and Zambia. Self Help
Africa delivers cost-effective and sustainable solutions to the challenges facing rural African people.

The challenges are enormous but the facts

are simple:
Most Africans live in rural areas Where we work
Most African farm land can grow much more.
We believe that to make a real and lasting difference in the
lives of Africans, their farms must become more productive and 6
their businesses nurtured. 1

3 7
2
What we do: east AFRICA
We help people to grow enough food all year 4 uganda 4
WEST AFRICA 5
5 kenya horn of
around, and to preserve their land
1 Burkina faso AFRICA
We help people to start small businesses 2 ghana 6 eritrea
3 togo 7 ethiopia
We help people to pool their resources, through farm
and credit co-ops 9

We target these efforts at women 8

We help farmers cope with the effects of climate

change southern AFRICA
8 zambia
9 malawi
Self Help Africa -
food and a future
2 Self Help Africa Our Work At A Glance

introduction from the ceo
W
elcome to the 2010 Update for
Self Help Africa. Within these
pages, we want to show you how
Self Help Africa is making a real – and lasting
– difference in the lives of tens of thousands of
people across the continent.
For 25 years now, Self Help Africa has been
Ray Jordan
Chief Executive
supporting efforts to bring new life and
productivity to rural Africa.
We firmly believe that agricultural production and the needs of small-scale
farming communities must be at the centre of efforts to alleviate poverty
in Sub-Saharan Africa in the years ahead.
It is a case that we make in the article on food and livelihoods on the
following pages and is at the heart of the work that we are doing.
There are many challenges for Africa – perhaps the greatest of these
is climate change, and this Update allows us to show you how we are
helping farmers adapt to new growing conditions across the continent.
None of our work is ‘charity’ in the traditional sense of that word.
We like to say that it’s a help up, not a hand out.
So, the farmer who receives a kilo of improved seed this season repays
two kilos at harvest; the small businesswoman who receives a loan pays it
back, with interest.
www.selfhelpafrica.org
This ‘self help’ approach to development - applied by our organisation
across more than 40 development programmes in nine countries - works.
We have seen it time and again and the achievements and impacts are
well documented in numerous independent evaluations and assessments
of our work.
It’s also, in our view, the most cost-effective way to achieve sustainable
and lasting change for the communities in Africa with whom we
collaborate.
As you read about the successes that have been achieved, do so in the
knowledge that a great deal of work must still be done if millions of
Africans are to have enough food to eat and the chance of a better life.
Do so also with the awareness that you too can play your part in making
a reality our vision of an Africa free from hunger and poverty.
Ray Jordan,
CEO, Self Help Africa
Self Help Africa Our Work At A Glance 3
 investing in agriculture

F
or 25 years Self Help Africa has been working to improve
the lives of rural Africans, investing in sustainable programs
designed to increase food production and enable Africans to
earn a living. Developing agricultural production at both local and
regional levels is crucial if the countries of Sub-Sahara are going to be
able to feed their growing populations in the years ahead.
2008 saw a dramatic increase in world food prices and a wave of
protests and rioting, which put the
issue of small-scale agriculture into
sharp focus for world leaders.
The gravity of the situation was
Irrigated horticulture helps rural families to increase production.
evidenced when the Secretary General
of the United Nations Ban Ki Moon
convened an emergency food summit At the same time as the United Nations was addressing the issue of food
in Rome and spoke afterwards of a production the UN’s former chief Kofi Annan launched a separate initiative
need to ‘seize the historic opportunity designed to drive farm production in Africa.
to revitalise agriculture’. In 2009, number of people going hungry globally rose above the one
While the immediate concern of billion figure for the first time in human history, and against this backdrop
the UN sponsored summit was on Self Help Africa is more convinced than ever that agriculture provides the
finding a response to high food prices, route out of poverty for the world’s poor.
the Secretary General also sought the
creation of a United Nations taskforce
to focus on the longer term goal of
“Developing agricultural production
Margaret Malakita irrigates her mustard crop
improving food security for the world’s
at both local and regional levels is
in Malawi.
poor. crucial.“

4 Self Help Africa Our Work At A Glance

 www.selfhelpafrica.org
around 75% of africans rely on farming for their survival

5% of the people of Sub-Sahara, or approximately 600 million Africans dump their surpluses on the markets of Africa and thus drive down local
rely on small scale farming for their survival. It is only by tackling the prices, are amongst the issues which must be tackled by the world
challenges and difficulties that they face that we will achieve a lasting, long community. It is vital however that a practical and pragmatic approach which
term solution to the problems of extreme poverty. reflects the culture and the circumstances of African farmers themselves is
At Self Help Africa we have found that simple, affordable technologies brought to this challenge.
can have a profound effect on agricultural production for small-scale The 2000 Millennium Goal to halve the proportion of the world
farmers. Treadle (foot) pumps and drip irrigation kits provided to farm population facing poverty and under nourishment by 2015 is in jeopardy –
families in countries where only 4% of agricultural land is irrigated has with increasing population, climate change and a global recession all putting
enabled small-holders to double food production; support for the formation additional strain on the resources that are available to assist the poorest and
of co-operative structures that allow farmers to access good quality seed the most vulnerable.
stock in time for the planting season and assist co-ops with the marketing It is heartening that the G8
and sale of any surpluses has helped to lift many rural Africans out of countries and other world bodies are
poverty. prepared to take the lead in adopting
Complementary cropping and crop rotation, the use of sound agricultural policies and
manure based composts rather than oil-based chemical strategies to support farming and
fertilisers and the sustainable use of available land rural developing in Sub-Saharan
and resources are amongst the many other Africa.
approaches that can help Africans to grow more We hope that others too will see
food in a way that is both cost effective and the merit and value of this approach
sustainable. and back the sustainable and
Years of chronic under-investment in the participatory approaches to poverty
agricultural sector in Africa, allied to reduction that Self Help Africa has
unequal trading arrangements which been championing for the past
have allowed western producers to quarter century.
Nursery production in Uganda.

Self Help Africa Our Work At A Glance 5

 the challenge of climate change

F
or anyone who has witnessed the conditions in which smallholder
African farmers survive, the threat posed by climate change is
frightening. In the nine countries in which Self Help Africa works, no-
one is in any doubt that the change has arrived – and farmers are the first to
see what the future holds.
There are around 80 million small farms on the continent, and 75% of all
Africans rely on agriculture for their livelihoods. In the last few years, new
investment in farming brought improved
harvests – last year, there was a 3.5%
increase in output from the continent, mostly
from small farms.
A dry well in Eritrea under-scores the impact that climate change is
But African agriculture is particularly having in rural Africa.
vulnerable to a change in growing
conditions. Less than 4% of agricultural land greater numbers of pests and soil fertility will drop.
is irrigated, so production is heavily The greatest irony is that the people most at risk from climate change live
dependent on the timing and quantity of in countries that have contributed the least to the atmospheric build-up of
rain. carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases linked
Many scientists now believe that global to global warming. Texas, with a population of
temperatures will rise by between two and 23 million, emits more carbon dioxide than
four degrees Celsius by 2050, and rains will
become ever more unpredictable as a result.
“Less than 4%
There will be more droughts and more
of agriculture
floods. Staple crops will be unable to cope
Drip irrigation is an effective way ot optimising the
with a four-degree rise in temperatures, and in Africa is
“
use of available water.
yields will fall by up to 40%. There will be irrigated

6 Self Help Africa Our Work At A Glance


Farmers are on the frontline of climate change
all 720 million residents of sub-Saharan Africa.
For African farmers, the challenge is to find ways to adapt to this change
as it happens, as most of them simply don’t have the resources to play
catch-up. For Self Help Africa, the challenge is to develop new adaptation
strategies for the communities in which we work.
We do this by listening to farmers as they share their discoveries, by
linking in with research institute programs, and by sharing lessons with other
organizations.
Farmers are on the front line of climate change, but the way in which
An extensive programme of activities is underway to support communities to adapt to climate change. Amongst these activities are:
Holding onto rain
Collection and storage of rainwater is the most cost effective way of providing
water to communities living in the dry and arid climates of sub-Saharan Africa.
We have devised a range of ‘rainwater harvesting’ methods to support individual
farmers, communities, schools and others to secure water for their drinking and
crop needs.
Developing drought resistant crops
In collaboration with agricultural research institutes, we are facilitating the
development of crop varieties that are robust enough to withstand harsh weather
conditions and others that are early yielding.
Managing the water
Building check dams and repairing gullies are just two examples of activities being
promoted to manage soil moisture and control water tables. Water from dammed
areas is available to farmers for irrigation.
Encouraging crop diversification
We are assisting and supporting farmers to introduce new crop varieties.
www.selfhelpafrica.org
they work – from the amount and type of crops they plant to the way in
which they till the land and protect natural resources, including rainforests,
can help to cut carbon levels.
As a global community, we must all face up to the challenge of a hotter
and more inhospitable planet. Smallholder farmers have contributed least to
global warming, and while they have most to lose as a result of it, they also
offer a potential way out.
Whether we focus on blame or on solution, the West must help Africa’s
farmers.
Investing in the land
Communities using degraded land are encouraged to
‘enclose’ this land, keeping livestock out, planting shrubbery
and trees and putting further soil erosion techniques.
Increasing access to water
The use of treadle pumps and drip kits in small-scale
irrigation has had a profound impact on farming across
our programmes. Small and medium scale irrigation has
allowed large numbers of farmers to produce horticultural
cash crops such as onions, mustard, cabbage and
tomato.
Using fuel efficient stoves
The use of wood for cooking has resulted in widespread
deforestation and soil erosion. In an effort to respond, we
promote a range of improved cooking stoves that are
being made available to rural families.
Self Help Africa Our Work At A Glance 7
 Ethiopia
A
series of integrated area based development programs
that focused on local food production, income generation
and improving access to water and social services were
implemented last year by Self Help Africa in Ethiopia.
The organization also supported initiatives to mobilise farmers in Oromia
and Southern Nations and Nationalities (SNNPR) into primary agricultural
co-operatives. These groups and a number of co-operative unions worked to
strengthen organizational capacity and to promote
diversification and marketing opportunities for
farmers.
Self Help Africa expanded micro-finance savings
and credit opportunities, directly supporting the
mobilisation of 8,000 new members into local
savings and credit co-operatives (SACCOs) and
providing backing to five SACCO unions in Oromia
and SNNPR regions.
Four area-based development programs at Bora,
Huruta, Sodo II and Aleymaya II undertook activities
to improve agriculture and food production.
Activities also sought to rehabilitate the natural
environment, support income generation and
Rope & washer pumps help
households to irrigate land. improve access to water, sanitation, healthcare and
More than 30 supporters
sponsored new pumps for
education in the four areas.
Sodo II, in its third year, distributed drought-
irrigated farming last year.
resistant enset seedlings to 250 farmers; 90 farmers
8 Self Help Africa Our Work At A Glance
began apple production; a range of
rain fed and irrigated crop production
activities were carried out and support
provided to an artificial insemination
(AI) scheme to improve local livestock
breeding.
The Sodo II program was
supported in 2008 by the Skerries/
Sodo Community Group.
250 students were recruited to
the newly opened Kella High School
and more than10,000 people received Payapa production is a valuable way to
supplement income.
clean water from two new shallow
wells and the capping of a community
spring. Elsewhere, check dams and micro-basins were constructed to
conserve water and arrest soil erosion and 35 rope and washer pumps were
distributed to enable farmers to irrigate farm land.
The Huruta area program supported nearly 4,000 farm families with
improved seed, distributed over half a million tree seedlings, 3,600 poultry
birds, 140 beehives and created an irrigation co-operative for 140 farmers.
A rainwater harvesting scheme was developed to support seven remote
“4,000 families in Huruta received
improved quality seed.“
Investment: $2,892,591 • percentage Of program spend: 34.1%

rural villages; more than 1,000 SACCO members received assistance, while
nearly 3,000 farmers took part in training in methods of seed multiplication,
beekeeping, sanitation and family planning. Supported by the One51
Charitable Foundation, the Huruta Program completed its three-year
development cycle in 2008.
Bora area based program supported 800 households to set up tree
nurseries, assisted a poultry development program that reached 234
households, promoted a range of both rain-fed and irrigated farming
activities and supported composting and irrigated vegetable production at
farm household level.
Support was provided to a community to sink a borehole and provide
clean drinking water to over 500 households; backed a revolving drug
scheme to provide a sustainable supply of medicine to users of a health centre
in Alemtena and provided training on HIV/AIDS and gender to teachers.
At Alemaya II program more than 1,300 farmers in Ethiopia’s Eastern
Highlands benefited from the promotion and distribution of improved
quality wheat seed, haricot beans, teff and bean seeds during
2008. Nearly 1,000 other farmers were supplied with
garlic, potato and onion bulbs to begin vegetable
production, a further 720 households started
poultry rearing and 230 farm families planted
www.selfhelpafrica.org
incomes, organizational strength and the earning potential of co-operative
members.
In Oromia 1,000 members received wheat and other crop seeds under a
local seed multiplication program; seed potatoes were also multiplied and
distributed and finance and training was provided to savings and credit co-
operative members. This work received support from Dutch based ICCO.
In SNNPR region seed multiplication co-operatives provided improved seed
to over 4,500 farmers. Nearly 3,000 landowners were assisted in starting
production of alternate cash crops including haricot beans, onions and chilli.
Structures were put in place to strengthen dairy co-ops, with support
being provided for milk production systems, promotion of added value and
marketing of dairy produce.
Membership of SACCOs in Oromia increased to over 10,000 people,
with 29 new primary credit co-ops joining three existing SACCO unions – at
Awash, Keleta and Ifa Boru. In SNNRP 8,000 additional members joined
primary savings and credit co-ops, ERITREA
increasing the membership of two
regional SACCO unions to more than
20,000. The Irish League of Credit Unions ETHIOPIA
Addis ABAba •Alemaya II
Foundation (ICLUF) is supporting this work. Bora•
SOMALIA
Huruta•
•Sodo II

enset for the first time. Described as ‘the tree against famine’
Self Help Africa’s Oromia and SNNPR because it can survive drought and can
Agricultural Cooperative Development be stored for long period, Enset has been
promoted to support food security across Self KENYA
Programs focussed on measures to improve Help Africa’s Ethiopian programs for more than a
decade.

Self Help Africa Our Work At A Glance 9

 Eritrea

S
elf Help Africa marked its 15th year in Eritrea in 2008. Work
included area programs in the Gash Barka and Southern
Regions and support for a national beekeeping development
program.
The organization is one of a small number of international development
agencies working in the country, the result of a cautious approach to the
presence of overseas agencies by a Government that believes Eritrea should
not become dependent on the
resources of international NGOs.
Both of Self Help Africa’s area-
based programs were affected by
a shortage of rainfall, which had
an impact on crop yields in many
areas. A shortage of farming inputs, The search for firewood is a daily chore in rural Eritrea. Homestead woodlots
provided by Self Help Africa provide families with a ready supply of fuel wood
construction materials and fuel also
for their domestic needs.
led to plans for several construction
programs including dam and pond
building being deferred. 160,000 mixed tree saplings and assisted a program that treated close to
In 2008 the Emni Haili program 20,000 livestock at two recently built animal health posts.
supplied and distributed 500 ox- In Gogne, where the drought was particularly acute, two new rainwater
ploughs through two community- harvesting irrigation ponds were constructed to provide water to more than
run farm shops. The program also

Rain harvesting ponds in Gogne assisted

distributed, through revolving funds,
close to 16,000 fruit tree seedlings; “500 ox-ploughs were distributed
householders to irrigate their land.
supported planting of an additional through farm shops in Emni Haili.“

10 Self Help Africa Our Work At A Glance

Investment: $616,309 • percentage Of program spend: 7.3%

410 households (2,500 people) and 4,750 livestock. Because of the dry
conditions these facilities were dry for several months however.
Elsewhere, construction of a new elementary school was undertaken in
Adi Gebru with funding support of 223,877 provided by friends and family
in memory of Irish teacher Barbara Gill, while more than 140 desks and
other furnishings were also provided to fit out the building. Several primary
www.selfhelpafrica.org
savings and credit co-operatives (SACCOs) were also established.
Nearly 9,000 high school students attended a two-day HIV/AIDS
awareness raising seminar and 8,200 students attended a drama
performance to raise awareness of HIV, while 480 students visited voluntary
counselling and testing centres.
As part of the beekeeping development program more than 110 colonies
were raised and distributed through revolving funds to farm families, while
bee fodder planting was undertaken in different areas.
Planning and baseline studies for a number of proposed new area-based
programs (ABPs) – at Elabared and Mai-Aine sub-regions and at Kimira in the
Southern Red Sea region took place. These new programs will replace the
existing ABPs at Gogne and Emni Haili, which will phase out in 2009.

SUDAN

ERITREA
•Gogne
Asmara
Emni Haili •

ETHIOPIA

Rosena Garza used a small loan from a Self Help Africa savings co-operative in
Gheleb to start a small sewing business in her village. 110 farm families in Eritrea
began beekeeping last year.

Self Help Africa Our Work At A Glance 11

 kenya

S
elf Help Africa made significant progress towards improving and beekeeping enterprises
food and livelihood security systems in its Kenyan programs were promoted across each
in 2008, a year that was marred by widespread civil unrest, of these districts.
unpredictable weather patterns and damaging fluctuations in food A review and evaluation
prices in the country. of Self Help Africa’s
Food production was increased for householders across both area-based partnership with BAC on a
programs in Gilgil and Kamara. This came despite the enforced suspension beekeeping development
of activities in Kamara early in the year, as post program that has supported
election violence caused more than 120 deaths, more than 5,000 rural
destruction of over 3,800 houses and the Kenyans across the Rift
displacement of over 24,000 people from their Valley and Pokot regions to
homes. develop beekeeping and
As a result of the violence both Self honey production activities Dozens attended beekeeping artisan skills
training courses at Baraka College, where they
Help Africa and its local partners at Baraka over the past five years was learned how to make their own hives.
Agricultural College (BAC) teamed up with also carried out.
the Kenyan Red Cross and other agencies Agricultural production
to provide short-term emergency support to was enhanced by seed multiplication and the distribution of alternate seed
local communities and later supported conflict varieties, as well as by the promotion of improved quality maize. Support
resolution measures affecting communities. was given for the distribution of sweet potato and beans as a drought-
As 2008 progressed major progress was tolerant crop.
made with efforts to improve food and Drip irrigation and a range of activities to support farmers associations
A seed multiplication program livelihood security activities in Kamara and

“Construction of a new primary

helped local crop diversification in
Kenya. More than 120 supporters
sponsored seed packs in 2008.
Gilgil; measures to strengthen local farm
production and capacity were undertaken at
school at Thome was started.“
Nakuru, Bomet, Kericho, Koibatek and Baringo

12 Self Help Africa Our Work At A Glance

 www.selfhelpafrica.org
Investment: $894,598 • percentage Of program spend: 10.6%

David Karanja of the Kenya Agricultural Research Institute presents packets of
drought tolerant beans to a seed multiplier group in Gilgil.
were undertaken and assistance through revolving fund loans was provided
to farmer ‘common interest groups’ (CIGs) to build poultry and livestock
housing and to strengthen links with Government Ministry
started.
Self Help Africa established a number of valuable funding partnerships
during the year - with the Australian High Commission supporting a drip
irrigation initiative, Family Health International (FHI) supporting a program
to help individuals and families living with HIV/AIDS. Partnerships were also
established with United Nations Development Program (UNDP); the Republic
of Finland on the localisation of the Millennium Development Goals and
with Community Development Trust Fund (CDTF) on a program of advocacy
and environmental rehabilitation in Gilgil and Elementaita. Self Help Africa
established a funding partnership with Irish NGO Gorta that provided
valuable backing for elements of the organization’s area based program at
Gilgil.
SHA also successfully networked with a range of Kenyan government
institutions, including the Kenya Agricultural Research
Institute (KARI) on the promotion of drought tolerant
crops; the Kenya Rain Water Association; Kenya Land
Alliance (KLA) and the Horticultural Development
Crops Authority (HCDA). SOMALIA

services. Crop failures caused by drought and by low prices Market oriented production of passion KENYA
Kamara•
paid for produce affected many producers however. fruit, avocado and sunflower was •Gilgil
Farmers in Gilgil were also assisted with the production undertaken, with markets sourced for the nairobi

of sunflowers and onions as cash crops. Other activities sale of farmers produce to local outlets in
were carried out to improve the management of local natural the Gilgil area.
resources, including the development of water points at Kiambogo Links were forged to allow four farmers
TANZANIA
and Reracua, while construction of a new primary school at Thome was associations in Gilgil to sell their sunflower crop to a
local food oil producer.

Self Help Africa Our Work At A Glance 13

 malawi
S
elf Help Africa’s Malawi Program is known as FAIR and is run
in collaboration between ourselves, the Development Fund, a
Norwegian organization and the UK-based agency Find Your
Feet.
The FAIR rural livelihoods programs continued to work with more than
a dozen local partners in the north and central regions. The FAIR programs
included a range of community based rural development initiatives to
support more than 17,000 households (approx.
85,000 people) to improve their livelihoods.
In 2008 its activities included an extensive
food security program for nearly 9,000
households at Rumphi that receives backing from
the European Union and an initiative to train
several thousand ‘lead farmers’ as trainers in
communities in Nkhata Bay, Mzimba and Rumphi
districts.
FThe participatory community approach
in Rumphi was applied to support three local
partners -LOMADEF, CICOD and TAPP to re-
engage with communities in other areas of the
north on new programs. CICOD and TAPP were
also supported to collaborate on a program
to maximise the impact of their work by using
Support was provided to members
of 16 micro-finance groups. shared learning and expertise.
During a three year period (2008-2011)
14 Self Help Africa Our Work At A Glance
FAIR will seek to improve rural
livelihoods and food security for
upwards of 30,000 households in
nine districts, with specific emphasis
on strengthening the capacity of
local partners to undertake future
activities. The program is also
engaged in successful partnerships
with local NGOs who are working
in areas of biodiversity development
Examining a cassava plantation
in Malawi. and conservation, in
wetlands management,
in HIV/AIDS prevention and awareness and in advocacy.
Local partners undertook a broad range of activities
in 2008 including: sinking wells and developing water
sources for drinking and irrigation; promoting and
developing composting and manure production,
beekeeping, tree nurseries, alternative vegetable crops
and fruit tree promotion, as well as activities to support
“The FAIR program
works with more than
a dozen local partner
“
NGOs.
2200 households began soya production in 2008
Investment: $980,284 • percentage Of program spend: 11.6%

www.selfhelpafrica.org
During 2008 the programs supported the formation of 74 seed
committees to multiply and distribute improved quality seed and alternate
seed stock to rural farmers in their areas. Training in crop management was
provided to over 670 farmers, while 2,200 households received seed and
training to begin soya, cassava, groundnut and sweet potato production.
Farmers were organised into associations, clubs and co-operatives;
members of 22 groups received training in irrigated horticultural production;
21 livestock groups were supported with goat and pig rearing activities,
and the members of 16 primary micro-finance savings and credit co-
operatives were linked to the leading finance lending institution FINCOOP.
Construction work on new school blocks at Kaweche Primary School in
Masumbankhunda and at Mbayi Primary in Kalembo was completed, while
additional school improvement work at a further two schools was started

A farmers co-operative in Malawi. during 2008.

18 new shallow wells were sunk and Malda pumps
TANZANIA
installed; 174 community representatives from 17 villages •Karongo
and develop livestock production. Small-scale micro-finance programs received training in water management and hygiene and a

malawi
and seed multiplication co-operatives was supported, and assistance was program to promote agro-forestry and fruit tree production •Rumphi
provided with the roll out to communities of voluntary counselling and was started. Simlemba •
testing services (VCT). More than 4,400 people attended HIV/AIDS awareness •Masumbankhunda
Lilongwe
Self Help Africa’s two food security and integrated rural development raising activities and training, while nearly 1,300 signed up Kalembo•
programs, at Masumbankhunda and Kalembo in the south of the country for voluntary counselling and testing for HIV.
are seeking to improve the lives of 17,600 households (approx. 120,000 In 2008 Self Help Africa finalised its earlier area-based
people) in the geographic areas of Lilongwe and Kalembo Districts development programs at Nsondole in Zomba District and
MOZAMBIQUE
respectively, over a five year period to the end of 2011. at Kaphuka in Dedza.

Self Help Africa Our Work At A Glance 15

 UGANDA
S
elf Help Africa commenced one new area program in Uganda
in 2008, bringing to four the number of area based programs
being implemented in the country.
The newest program was started at Kumi-Bukedea in the second half of
the year following baseline needs assessment work and the recruitment of
local staff. The program is located in north-eastern Uganda, in an area with
a total population of more than 450,000 people living in and near over 440
villages. More than 75% of households live
below the poverty line.
Preliminary work in Kumi-Bukedea
included the identification of suitable sites
for cassava multiplication, hosting of a series
of meetings with district planners, sub-
county leaders and others who will support
the organization’s development activities
over the coming five years. By year end
a total of 317 seed multiplication sites for
cassava production had been established.
The new program was started as
preparations got underway for the
completion of its two longest established
Ugandan development programs – at
Groundnuts, upland rice and cassava Amuria and Kamuli respectively.
were amongst the alternate crops being Activities in Kamuli were concentrated
promoted.
primarily on managing the exit process,
317 sites for cassava multipication were established.
16 Self Help Africa Our Work At A Glance
with particular focus placed on strengthening the organizational capacity
of farmers associations and co-operatives and on measures to add value to
post-harvest farm produce.
A number of seed store management committees were also established
across Kamuli, while training programs were organised for farmers
associations and assistance provided with the registration of these
organizations.
In Amuria the focus was also on strengthening existing local structures,
although significant work was also carried out with farmers groups and
associations to improve productivity which had been seriously disrupted by
severe flooding in late 2007.
Extensive seed distribution was carried out in Amuria through purchase
and revolving fund, with more than 2,250 households participating in
groundnut production, 600 households in cassava production
and a further 210 farmers being supported as part of
an improved breed goat program. To add value and
save labour with crop production activities two
“2,250 households
in Amuria took
part in groundnut
“
production
Investment: $1,365,307 • percentage Of program spend: 16.1%

Farm families use small micro-finance loans to buy livestock.
ground nut shellers and two cassava chippers were procured and distributed
to farmer groups.
Two new maternity units were constructed in Amuria at Morungatuny
and Kuju sub-counties respectively, while 17 individual tree nursery farmers
www.selfhelpafrica.org
considerably, to provide coverage to approximately 80% of the district
during the year.
An extensive program of community sensitisation meetings were also
held, promotion of alternate crops carried out and distribution of planting
materials undertaken.
Nearly 3,000 farm families were supported with crop inputs for beans,
rice, maize and cassava. A new program to pilot banana production
amongst farmers was started, with 40 households receiving 8,000 plants to
begin production and multiplication.
Local farmers associations and co-operatives received organizational
support, supported and 11 micro-finance savings and credit co-operatives
(SACCOs) were created. Assistance was also provided to ensure that farmers
groups can form linkages to add value to crop production and source
markets for their surplus produce.
In Kayunga five farmer-owned tree nurseries
were established, a sanitation program distributed SUDAN
600 pit latrine slabs and a further 700 pits were
DRC
dug.
UGANDA
•Amuria
10 secondary schools were reached with
Kayunga• •Kamuli
HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention messages, kampala

received training. Mother gardens were established for the production of five voluntary counselling and testing outreach KENYA
Lake
Victoria
both citrus and mango in each of six sub-counties and a program to support initiatives for HIV were supported, 18 adult literacy
RWANDA
cassava seed multiplication was initiated. classes supported and 30 instructors trained to
The country’s fourth area based development program at Kayunga support further adult literacy work in the area. TANZANIA
entered its second year in 2008 and Self Help Africa grew its program reach

Self Help Africa Our Work At A Glance 17

 west africa

S
elf Help Africa extended its activities in West Africa to Burkina program last year.
Faso, the second poorest country in the world, in 2008. A series The organization
of new pilot programs were started in the country with new began working
local partners. in West Africa (as
This expansion followed the establishment of a regional office in Harvest Help) in
Ouagadougou, the capital of Burkina Faso to oversee all of the activities 2005, when it took
being supported by Self Help Africa in West Africa – in Togo, Ghana and charge of a number
latterly Burkina Faso. of development
Across the three countries Self Help programs that had
Africa is collaborating with six local been started by the
development partners, the largest former UK based
of which is TRAX Togo, which is organization TRAX in
implementing work in the far north of the late 1980s.
that country. The activities
The Togo program is providing are in remote rural
support to more than 2,500 households communities across
(approx. 22,000 people), assisting a geographical
communities to increase food production region that includes
and household income, rehabilitate expansive areas of Sampana Kourouk, with her daughter Sanbon,
has seen her family income increase as a result of
the nature environment, improve local savannah and semi-arid
practical support they have received.
access to clean water, address the zones where soil fertility
challenges presented by HIV/AIDS and

“The Togo program is providing support

strengthen local development capacity.
Traditional basketry is a valuable way to 175,600 provided by the UK Big
supplement family income.
Lottery Fund was invested in the Togo to over 2,500 households.“

18 Self Help Africa Our Work At A Glance

Investment: $256,755 • percentage Of program spend: 3%

www.selfhelpafrica.org
is poor and climatic conditions difficult for food production.
The new programs in Burkina Faso include four year-long pilot programs
carried out by local partners PER, Wend Yam, ORGANIC and ASCDIS.
This work is taking place in the provinces of Zondoma, Bam, Oubritenga
and Bazaga and focuses on soil fertility management methods; improved
seed multiplication and dissemination; livestock health management and
improved feeding; bee keeping and awareness of HIV/AIDS.
In 2008, Self Help Africa supported a six-month Sustainable Livelihoods
and Community Empowerment program that involved close to 1,000
poor farmers in the Northern and Upper East Regions of Ghana. The
work was carried out by local partners TRAX Ghana and included soil
fertility management, crop diversification, livestock husbandry and health
management, together with awareness on sustainable environment
Timbil Babong in his onion store in Bolgatanga, Ghana.
management.
A total of nearly 7,000 people benefited from this program,
which also provided training to 20 Community Trainers in the
MALI NIGER
area. Millet is a valued crop for small Bam•
The West African region where Self Help Africa works is scale farmers in West Africa. •Oubritenga
BURKINA
FASO •Bazega/Zondoma
one of the poorest parts of the world. During the past decade Ouagadougou
Bolgatanga• •Dapaong
poverty has worsened, with IFAD estimating that nearly 50%
of the total population live on less than one US dollar per benin NIGERIA

TOGO
IVORY GHANA
day. COAST

ACCRA LOME

Self Help Africa Our Work At A Glance 19

 zambia
I
n Zambia, 2008 was a year of transition for Self Help Africa with
six programs ending and four new programs starting up.
The Striking a Balance program has enabled 500 households across
three sites in Mpika to successfully ensure that local wetlands do not dry out.
Activities were completed at Mpika, Chibombo and Chipapa – where
crop diversification and other activities saw productivity and incomes increase
significantly.
PROP (Program for the
Reduction of Poverty) in Eastern
Province, recorded notable
improvements in micro-finance,
with savings and credit groups
being formed and ‘village
banks’, with offices in Lundazi
and Chipapa being created. Full
repayment has been seen within
the groups circulating their own
savings and there is over 90%
repayment on loans made using
‘external’ capital.
EU funding was received
to support the development
of rural enterprise in the areas
around Kaoma, Senanga,
A goat house at a homestead in Zambia.
Solwezi and Kasempa. The
20 Self Help Africa Our Work At A Glance
two MORE (Market Orientated Rural
Enterprise) programs in North Western
and Western Province respectively
provided business skills training and
funding for small capital investments to
improve the quality of produce sold and
build lasting links for farmers to market
and sell their produce. A pilot initiative
was also forged with Eastern Province
Farmers Cooperative in their efforts to
develop a market brokerage service
for primary cooperative groups around
Chipata.
Maize harvesting in Zambia.
In Chibombo District the work of
OPAD (Organization for the Promotion of
Meaningful Development through Active Participation) has been extended
to another ward – Liteta, where the UK Big Lottery Fund and Development
Fund of Norway are both supporting a four-year program of assist 2,000
“The development of savings and
credit groups has been undertaken
with a strong focus on leadership
“
and bookkeeping skills.
Investment : $1,464,754 • percentage Of program spend: 17.3%

www.selfhelpafrica.org
of Agriculture and Cooperatives has been strengthened through our work
on two rural enterprise program in the West and Northwest Provinces.
Collaboration with the Seed Control and Certification Institute (SCCI)
under the DFID funded Rights to Seed Program is influencing thinking about
the role of small-scale seed producers in Zambia and work is under way to
prepare a scaling up of this work. The European Commission continues to be
our major funder in Zambia.
At the end of 2008 a new partnership was forged with Development
Fund of Norway for a new joint-program in Zambia.

Poultry rearing allows families to diversify their income.

Close to 200 supporters sponsored poultry gift certificates
at Christmas and directly supported African families with
Maize is an important staple crop for small-scale farmers in Zambia. poultry rearing.

households. Emphasis in 2008 was on developing community leadership to DRC TANZANIA

support agriculture development and address HIV/AIDS.

Self Help Africa in partnership with the Development Fund, FOSUP, Lundazi•
PELUM and WWF-Zambia continued to explore how the voice of small ANGOLA
Solwezi• Chipata•
Kasempa• MALAWI
holder farmers on issues of natural resource management, agriculture ZAMBIA
•Chibombo
and the environment can be strengthened. •Senanga
LUSAKA
Our partnerships in Zambia with OPAD, Keepers Zambia •Kaoma
Foundation, Mthila Kubili, Micro Bankers Trust, FOSUP,
PELUM and WWF-Zambia have continued to develop. Our ZIMBABWE MOZAMBIQUE
BOTSWANA
partnership with government, particularly with the Ministry

Self Help Africa Our Work At A Glance 21

 Savings & Credit - Empowering African women
S
elf Help Africa has been involved in establishing rural savings and
credit co-operatives (SACCOs) across Africa for the past decade,
allowing the rural poor to access seed funding to start up their own
income generating small-businesses.
Traditionally, getting access to credit was almost impossible for poor rural
communities. The only source of credit was the money-lender, who charged
prohibitively high interest rates – up to 100% per annum. Anyone who
wanted to borrow money to open a small business was almost guaranteed
to fall into difficulty in
meeting loan and interest
repayments.
Primarily targeting
women, the Self Help Africa
savings and credit initiatives
have enabled thousands
of Africans to set up small
shops, start poultry and
livestock rearing, and much
more, and have provided
rural poor households with
vital new sources of income.
In Ethiopia, where SHA’s
savings and credit work is
Demekesh Gebru earns an income from a small shop in
Meki, Ethiopia. She used credit from SHA to start her strongest, more than 20,000
business.
borrowers have been given
22 Self Help Africa Our Work At A Glance
loans by one of the 157 primary savings and credit co-ops established with
the support of Self Help. These loans were used to establish businesses,
which in turn allow the borrowers to build new homes, send children to
school, or provide for their family’s daily needs.
Other SACCOs have been set up in Eritrea, Uganda, Kenya, Malawi and
Zambia. The savings and credit co-ops being established by Self Help Africa
are developed as business enterprises that are run entirely by the members
themselves, after the charity has provided the training and the other
necessary supports to the SACCO groups.
In most SACCO initiatives, Self Help Africa invests the ‘seed capital’,
which allows the co-operative to begin issuing loans within a relatively short
period. This seed capital is paid back to SHA at the end of a defined period,
and normally reinvested in another activity within the community.
Self Help Africa is currently involved in a campaign to develop SACCO
unions, to oversee and administer the operations of the individual primary
SACCO groups. This initiative has the support of the Irish League of Credit
Unions Foundations, who have provided training and funding support to
the project for the past number of years.
By specifically targeting women, the SACCO programme has not just
mobilised women and enabled them to contribute economically to the
household - the effort has also empowered African women, and given
them a greater say in decision making within the household.
“ 20,000 borrowers have taken loans
from credit co-ops in Ethiopia“
 organising agriculture - farmers co-ops

O
rganising farmers into producer groups and co-operatives is
playing a key role in Self Help Africa’s work to strengthen small-
holder agricultural production amongst Africa’s rural poor.
Working at grassroots level with rural communities, Self Help Africa
has encouraged and supported farmers to join together and work on
land irrigation, production and distribution of better quality seed, and the
cultivation of market-orientated crops.
Measures which build agricultural capacity have given farmers access
to lucrative new markets for produce, have enabled rural households to
diversify and scale up their production, and have allowed tens of thousands
of rural producers to create profitable farming enterprises on small-scale
holdings which had formerly been used only for subsistence farming
Members of Kamasika Seed Growers Association outside their seed store in
activities. Western Province, Zambia.
In Zambia’s Western Province, the Market Orientated Rural Enterprise
(MORE) project has supported more than 2,500 farmers to organise into
small commodity groups of between 20 and 50 members, so that they can and supporting hundreds more seed potato producers to develop a supply
embark on specific new farming activities – from vegetable, fruit and cereal network which has become one of the country’s largest.
production, to livestock rearing, fish farming and beekeeping. ACDP has identified markets for the sale of brewing malt to national
Commodity group members set aside a portion of their land for the breweries and of durum wheat to pasta manufacturers.
production of their specified ‘commodity’, and at harvest time they pool Initiatives similar to Ethiopia’s ACDP and Zambia’s MORE are taking
their produce for transportation and sale to hotels, agri-food processors and place across Self Help Africa’s programme countries, as the organization
other markets identified by the MORE project. of agriculture provides small-scale growers
In Ethiopia, our Agricultural Co-Operative Development Program (ACDP) with new opportunities to expand, diversify
is doing likewise with the production and sale of wheat, fruit and pulses, and improve the profitability of their
allowing hundreds of dairy producers to add value to their milk products, farming activities.

Self Help Africa Our Work At A Glance

23
 Advocacy

Learning, Advocacy and Dissemination

S
elf Help Africa is committed to organizational learning,
bringing together the experiences gathered over 25 years to
continually improve the quality of our programs. Self Help
Africa will use its knowledge and evidence gathered to advocate for
community-led sustainable rural development as the most effective
approach to combatting poverty in Sub-Saharan Africa.

We are seeking to achieve this objective by: Self Help Africa advocates for community led development.

Orientating our programs to researching and learning the most effective

practices, policies and processes that address the needs of smallholder In this way Self Help Africa will promote sustainable small-holder agriculture

farmers and rural communities. This evidence based learning will be as an effective response to eradicating hunger and improving economic

channeled by Self Help Africa into future program improvements, and into prospects for Africa’s rural poor. Our influence will reach beyond the

wider rural development networks. program areas in which we are actively engaged ensuring that as an

Adopting a systematic approach to capturing and recording lessons organization we have the greatest impact possible.

learned through monitoring and evaluation and disseminating this

knowledge in a manner that can influence the wider development debate.
Advocating to influence opinion in the countries where we work, within
the NGO sector, and in the Western world.
Being a pro-active voice at national and international assemblies where
development issues are being discussed and policies formulated.
Utilising our Development Education network to work with secondary
schools to advocate for sustainable solutions to the challenges faced by
Africa’s rural poor, and thus influence future strategies on how poverty
eradication can be achieved.

24 Self Help Africa Our Work At A Glance

 accounts

www.selfhelpafrica.org
 Consolidated statement of financial activities for year ending 31 Dec 2008

Unrestricted
Funds ($)
Restricted
Funds ($)
Total Funds
2008 ($)
Total Funds
2007 ($)
“More than
Incoming resources
$11million
Income resources from charitable activities was invested
-Grant income 319,095 7,642,085 7,961,180 8,168,785
Income resources from generated funds in charitable
- Voluntary income
Other incoming resources
2,683,745 1,900,226 4,583,971 3,903,100
activities in 2008 “
-Interest & investment income 80,436 - - 80,436 31,648

Total incoming resources: 3,083,277 9,542,311 12,625,588 12,103,534

Resources expended
Charitable activities (1,483,111) (9,719,623) (11,157,734) (10,232,485)
Costs of generating voluntary income (1,046,026) - - (1,046,026) (1,187,970)
Goverance costs (108,298) - - (108,098) (115,318)

Total resources expended (2,592,436) (9,719,623) (12,312,059) (11,535,774)

Losses on revaluations of investment assets (11,947) - - (11,947) (1,470)

Transfers between funds (75,402) 75,402 - - --
Merger transaction costs (54,397) (54,397)

Net incoming/(outgoing) resources 348,951 (101,909) 247,042 566,289

Funds at beginning of year 841,540 1,859,134 2,700,673 2,138,667

Exchange loss on consolidation (129,472) (121,289) (249,589) (4,282)

Funds at end of year 1,061,087 1,637,107 2,697,126 2,700,673

26 Self Help Africa Our Work At A Glance Self Help Africa Annual Report 2008 26
 funding resources

www.selfhelpafrica.org
Grants from Governments and other co-funders

€ 2007 ($) 2008 ($)

INCOME RESOURCES 2008

Irish Aid 4,395,603 5,121,375

Other Institutional Trusts,
European Union 919,904 957,757
Donors (EU, DFID, Foundations
IAWS / One51 Charitable Trust 963,754 419,180 DF, FAO, UNDP) & Others
ICCO 292,650 292,650 $1,401,086 $1,365,566
Big Lottery Fund (UK) 421,761 206,976
Irish League of Credit Unions Foundation (ILCUF) 151,610 182,906
Department for International Development (UK) 189,710 178,656
Development Fund (Norway) 68,086 175,484
Wetland Action 65,584 165,751
Gorta - 94,672
Family Health International Kenya - 67,695
FAO Uganda - 50,732
UNDP Kenya - 37,621
AMREP 146,325 -
AusAid 49,750 -
Other grants 504,047 9,914
8,168,784 7,961,180
Voluntary Income

Irish Aid 40%
General Donations 3,555,071 4,334,500
General
Farmers Grow Fund 348,029 249,470 Irish Aid
Donations
$5,121,375
3,903,100 4,583,971 $4,583,971

27
Self Help Africa Our Work At A Glance

Self Help Africa - United States
304 Park Avenue South, 11th Floor
New York, NY 10010
Tel: 917-289-0670
e-mail: info@selfhelpafrica.org
Self Help Africa - Ireland
Freepost,
Dublin Road, Portlaoise,
Co. Laois, Ireland
Tel +353 (0) 578 694034
Self Help Africa - UK
Freepost RRXU-AZUB-EBEE
Westgate House, Hills Lane,
Shrewsbury SY1 1QU, UK
Tel + 44 (0) 1743 277170
Self Help Africa - Ethiopia
P.O. Box 1204, Bole Road,
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Tel. 00251 115 522313
Fax. 00251 115 517599
Self Help Africa - Eritrea
P.O. Box 9313, Asmara, Eritrea
Tel. 00291 118 8382
Fax. 00291 118 8374
Self Help Africa - Kenya
P.O.BOX 2248 Code 20100,
Nakuru, Kenya
www.selfhelpafrica.org
Tel. 00254 O51 2212291
Fax. 00254 051 2212304
Self Help Africa/FAIR - Malawi
PO Box B-495 Lilongwe, Malawi
Tel. 00 265 1750568
Fax. 00 265 1750910
Self Help Africa - Uganda
Plot 14 B, Off Naguru 2 Road
P.O. Box 32249, Kampala,
Uganda
Tel. 00256 412 8635
Self Help Africa - West Africa
12 PO Box 315, Ougadougou 12,
BURKINA FASO
Tel. 00226 50 36 89 60
Fax. 00226 50 36 89 61
Self Help Africa - Zambia
181 Bishops Road, Kabulonga,
PO Box 37484, Lusaka,
ZAMBIA
Tel. 00260 211 265384
Fax. 00260 211 265392