brac southern sudan 2008 annual report

empowering women and girlsin southern sudan

BRACSOUTHERN SUDAN

BRAC, a development organisation, was founded in

Bangladesh in 1972 by Fazle Hasan Abed. Over the course

of our evolution, BRAC has established itself as a pioneer in

recognising and tackling the many different dimensions of

poverty. Our unique, holistic approach to poverty

alleviation and empowerment of the poor encompasses a

range of programmes in economic, social and human

development. Today, BRAC has grown to become the

largest southern NGO employing more than 120,000

people, the majority of which are women, and reaching

more than 110 million people with our development

interventions in Asia and Africa.

Since 2002, we have been using our experiences of

innovating and scaling up multi-faceted anti-poverty

programmes to energise and accelerate poverty alleviation

efforts in other countries. Currently we have country

programmes in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Southern Sudan, Sri

Lanka, Tanzania, and Uganda. We also provide support to

other NGOs in Haiti, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Pakistan,

and Peru and are in the early stages of establishing BRAC

programmes in Liberia and Sierra Leone.

ABOUTBRAC

04Microfinance

20Recruitment, Trainingand Research 22

08Education 12

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Contents

BRAC has been working in Southern Sudan since 2007 and is

running successful programmes in microfinance, income

generation for vulnerable groups, education, and essential

community health care. In total, BRAC is reaching almost

77,000 of the rural poor in Southern Sudan with its microfinance

programmes. Over the next two years, all of BRAC Southern

Sudan’s programmes combined will reach more than 1.14

million individuals.

BRACSOUTHERN

SUDAN

Financials

Health

Food Security andAgriculture

CHAIRPERSON’SSTATEMENT

Fazle Hasan Abed Chairperson

Chairperson’s portrait by Amin/Drik

BRAC microfinance members attend their weekly group meeting in the village of Hai Burhol in Torit County, Southern Sudan. They make loan repayments, discuss their business ideas, and access other BRAC services such as essential health care.

I have visited Southern Sudan many times now and each time I go, I am deeply impressed by the dedication of our country o�ce sta� to bring the bene�ts of micro�nance and our associated programmes to the poorest people in the region. I am also inspired by the women I meet who often, in less than six months, have turned their family’s lives around with the help of a small BRAC loan. Some of these women were dependent on food aid before BRAC arrived, so it gives me great satisfaction to see the contribution we are making to helping people rebuild their lives in a sustainable way.

2008 marked the second full year of operations for BRAC Southern Sudan. In the last twelve months, we have continued to set up our branch infrastructure, recruit and train programme sta�, and establish our core programmes in micro�nance, health, education, and agriculture.

By the end of 2008, the micro�nance programme was operating in four out of the ten region’s states - Central Equatoria, Eastern Equatoria, Jonglei, and Lakes. We now have more than 660 micro�nance groups with 14,600 women members; many of whom are returning war refugees. USD 3.4 million has been disbursed in microloans to these women and more than 1,600 women have taken a second loan after successfully repaying their �rst.

In 2008, we successfully completed a pilot project in partnership with the World Food Programme (WFP) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) targeted at ultra poor women who were dependent on food aid. The project had a 97% success rate in graduating the women from the project to our mainstream micro�nance programme and helping them achieve self-su�ciency. We also initiated an Agriculture Programme in April 2008 and have successfully established a cooperative farm on the banks of the River Nile with the pro�ts bene�ting local farmers.

While we have been working on partnership initiatives in education in Southern Sudan since 2002, this year we started our own programme. Launched in April 2008, the main focus has been to identify and set up the �rst �fty schools with a further sixty schools scheduled for 2009. Through our community organisers, we have identi�ed and enrolled 1,500 out-of-school children – of which 60% are girls – from the poorest households. 35-40% are the sons and daughters of our micro�nance members. Our Health Programme is also making good solid progress in establishing core activities. By December 2008, we were providing essential health care services to more than 7,300 households through our trained community health volunteers.

We are becoming a signi�cant employer and trainer of talented young women eager to make a di�erence to their regions’s future.

During 2008, BRAC Southern Sudan recruited 116 new sta� and currently employs 160 people, the majority of whom are Southern Sudanese women.

In 2008, BRAC was honoured to be awarded the 2008 Hilton Humanitarian Prize of USD 1.5 million for our work in eradicating poverty in nine countries in Asia and Africa. We have dedicated all the prize money to accelerating our programmes in Southern Sudan and helping poor families unleash their full potential.

BRAC Southern Sudan will also bene�t from a new BRAC micro�nance loan fund that will provide up to USD 15 million to women in the region, excluded from the �nancial system, over the next three years.

We are extremely grateful for the support of our partners – including Bank of Southern Sudan (BOSS), ShoreBank Corporation, United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF), KIVA, International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), CGAP, United Nations World Food Programme, Strømme Foundation, UNICEF, Oxfam Novib, BRAC USA, BRAC UK, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), and Conrad N. Hilton Foundation. These partnerships are crucial in enabling BRAC to continue our work in reducing poverty and empowering women and girls across Southern Sudan.

04/05BRAC Southern Sudan Annual Report 2008

“I use my BRAC loans to rent and stock this stall in the suk sita [central market]. Before I used to sit on the roadside and sell these things. On a good day, I make about 60 pounds [USD 30]. I save money each week as well.”

Jacqueline is 33 years old and a war widow. She has successfully repaid her first loan and is currently repaying her second of 1300 Sudanese pounds (USD 650) through her local BRAC microfinance group in Juba city, the regional capital of Southern Sudan.

microfinancelivelihood development services

Across Southern Sudan, every weekmore than 14,600* women attend theirlocal BRAC microfinance meetings torepay their weekly loan installments,apply for new loans, buy health productsfrom their community health volunteer,and receive additional support for theirvaried small businesses.

Sudan is one of the poorest regions of the world, it isestimated that more than 90% of the population isliving on less than 1 USD a day. The country is slowlybeginning to recover from two decades of devastatingcivil war between the predominately Arab north andthe Black-African south which resulted in millions ofpeople fleeing the country.

BRAC started a microfinance programme in SouthernSudan towards the end of 2006; our solid operationalbase in Uganda was essential for the smoothcoordination of the initial registration andadministration. Our experiences in Afghanistan -where in 2008 we disbursed close to USD 50 million inmicrofinance across the country - also helped informthe design and implementation of microfinance forthis post-conflict country.

Our microfinance programme focuses on povertyalleviation through the provision of affordable andeasily accessible microloans. The hallmark of ourapproach is not just ensuring access to capital, butalso providing livelihood development services toincrease these poor women's ability to manage andexpand their businesses and make the most of theirsmall capital and resources. We call this approach'Microfinance Plus'.

We offer two different microfinance products -microloans and small enterprise loans. The microloansare specifically designed for poor women, assistingthem to undertake income-generating activities. Eachwoman can borrow between USD 50-800. Our servicesare very accessible as we go directly to the poorwomen we are targeting and meet them in theirvillages, homes and places of work. As a result, ourmembers avoid any travel costs and minimise timespent away from their businesses.

We also provide training and capacity building forincome generation; increasing poor women's ability tomanage and expand their businesses and make themost of their small capital and resources.

Most of the borrowers engage in vending activities -retailing food produce that they have bought aswholesalers from other suppliers. Often they open agrocery shop at home, make bread, start vegetablefarming, or brew local beer.

Madeline Kaku (45) is a war widow with five childrenliving on the outskirts of Juba, the regional capital ofSouthern Sudan. She joined BRAC in June 2008 andhas already seen significant improvements in thequality of her family's life:

“When my husband died during the war, it was a hardtime. There was no food sometimes for three days. Iused to crack stones, sell them and buy food for thechildren. I would maybe get 8 pounds in a week (USD4). I used the money from BRAC to buy vegetables andthings to sell at the market. Now in one week I make 50pounds (USD 25). I will keep saving a little bit of moneyso I can build a house for my children. If BRACcontinues to help me, my business will grow.”

Akai Ali, was one of BRAC's first employees and hasalready been promoted to branch manager for themicrofinance programme. Her family fled the civil warwhen she was twelve. She spent her childhood in therefugee camps and managed to win a universityscholarship in Uganda:

“BRAC is a very good organisation and I enjoy my workin microfinance. We help the widows and people whoare helpless, and those who are carrying out a businessthat is small but which they want to grow - people havelots of different businesses from growing vegetablesand all kinds of cultivation for selling, to making beerand supplying goods from wholesale to retail.”

* up to and including December 2008

Akai Alai, BranchManager, MicrofinanceKator Branch, JubaCounty

In 2008, BRAC Southern Sudan's Microfinance Programme continued to establishbranches and set up borrower groups and admit new members. The programmenow operates from 17 branches in four states - Central Equatoria, EasternEquatoria, Jonglei, and Lakes. During the last year, we started more than 400 newgroups and registered 10,000 additional women members.

We recruited and trained over 80 new employees, of which the majority were local

women, bringing the BRAC Southern Sudan Microfinance team to a total of 120 people.

As of December 2008, the total number of microfinance groups in Southern Sudanwas 662, with a membership of 14,500. Out of these members, 10,500 are activeborrowers. During 2008, we disbursed USD 2.62 million in microloans. 1,600women have successfully repaid their first loan and are now participating in asecond cycle. We also started preparing for introducing a new microfinanceproduct - small enterprise loans - to begin disbursement in 2009.

PROGRAMMEACHIEVEMENTS 2008

“I took a BRAC loan of 400 pounds [USD 185]. I buy fish from the big market and sellin the small market. My profit before was only 20 pounds [USD 10] a week. Now I amselling many things and get about 80 pounds a week [USD 40].”Betty, microfinance member and returned war refugee.

PROGRAMMEHIGHLIGHTS

Small Enterprise Loans

BRAC offers small enterprise loans to entrepreneurs

seeking to expand small businesses. The loans enable

owners to create new employment opportunities and

provide new services. Typically loans are given for

trading, agriculture, poultry and livestock, fruit

production and other types of small enterprises.These

small entrepreneurs would otherwise have limited

access to the formal financial system - too large for

microloans but with not enough collateral for

commercial banks.The small enterprise loan is offered

to an individual rather than to a group, and is available

for both male and female entrepreneurs.

Some members of the microloan groups will become

eligible for this scheme as their businesses grow and

expand and their investment needs change.

Key Features of a Small Enterprise Loan

l Available to both male and female entrepreneurs;

l Loan range: USD 1,000-5,000;

l Competitive law interest rates;

l Repayment mode: equal monthly installments.

BRAC's microfinance programme has been designedto serve large numbers of poor people with reliableaccess to cost effective financial services.

Programme Components

Women's Groups: Community partnerships and

institution building are essential for poor people if

they are to change their economic, social and political

conditions. We deliver our microfinance and other

programmes through organising groups of poor

women who come together to improve their socio-

economic position.

BRAC microfinance branch offices conduct area

surveys and consult with community leaders and local

elders to select the 20-30 members of each group.The

group is then sub-divided into smaller groups of five,

each with their own elected leader. The members of

the small groups take co-responsibility to solve peer

repayment problems. New borrower groups meet four

times before any loan disbursement takes place. After

that, they meet weekly to discuss credit decisions with

their dedicated BRAC credit officer and make their

loan repayments. BRAC provides training and

technical assistance to its members and others in the

community, empowering them to earn more income

from existing activities and start new ones.

Microloans

At the core of the programme are microloans, whichare exclusively for the women participating in thegroup process. Borrowers range in age from 20-50with little or no education. BRAC lends to women whoare not served by other microfinance institutions.

Borrowers typically operate businesses that provideproducts or services to their local communities.Women with seasonal businesses, such as farmingrelated activities, may also be eligible for shorter termloans.

Key Features of a Microloan

l Loan repayments in small weekly installments;

l No physical collateral needed;

l Loan range: USD 50-800;

l Competitive interest rates;

l Death benefit provided;

l Services delivered to member's village;

l Available in rural and urban areas.

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A microfinance member inMunuki, Juba Countycounts out her loanrepayment at her weeklygroup meeting.

The Kiden family has awater selling business thatthey set up with the

help of a BRAC microloanof 500 Sudanese pounds[USD 250].

Microfinance member,Cecilia Chaplain runs arestaurant and bar tosupport her seven childrenand send them to school.

Sitting outside her home inTorit County, Susan Tierra,a BRAC microfinancemember, weaves atraditional Sudanesecostume for selling in themarket.

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A BRAC Microfinance CreditOfficer makes a record ofeach woman's weeklyrepayments in theirmembership cards.

Sadia Mohammad runs agrocery store near her home.She has increased her profitswith the help of two BRACmicroloans.

Christine Livingstone has aprofitable business makingdate wine. Fermentation takesseven days and she sells tolocal men in her village. Sheis repaying her first BRACloan.

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BRAC provides more than just microfinance. We use themicrofinance groups as a social platform to deliver scaled-upservices in health, education, business development andlivelihood support - all critical components needed to ensurethat poor people can break the cycle of poverty

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PROGRAMMEDESCRIPTION



education

A young girl proudly shows her artwork during a class at a BRAC ‘second chance’ primary school in Munuki neighbourhood, Juba County. For most of the children, this is the first time they have attended a school due to decades of civil war and insecurity.

If you are a young girl living in SouthernSudan today, you only have a 1% chanceof completing your primary education.This means that every year only 500 girlscomplete Grade 8 from the 64,000young girls who are eligible. And out ofthose 500, only half will be taught by atrained teacher. As a result, nearly 90% ofwomen in Southern Sudan are illiterate.There are also only 21 secondary schoolsin a region which is almost the size ofEastern Europe.

BRAC's response is our Education Programme whichestablishes and operates 'second-chance' primaryschools for children who have dropped out of or neverentered formal schools in the war torn region ofSouthern Sudan.

Our approach to education draws from theinnovations of our low cost non-formal primaryeducation model that operates nationwide inBangladesh and Afghanistan, but adapts its approachto meet the needs of the situation in Southern Sudan.

BRAC has been working on education in SouthernSudan since 2002 with UNICEF providing technicalassistance in curriculum design and operationalmanagement. All the resulting schools were located inthe rural areas and enrolled only girls.

In 2008, we launched our own programme with the

target of opening 1,000 non-formal primary schools

within five years.We have structured the curriculum so

the students cover Primary 1 to Primary 5 within four

years rather than five years. Children attend the school

six days a week.

Md. Abur Rashid, Education Programme Managerexplained how the programme operates:

“The education programme runs side by side with themicrofinance operations. We have a focus on non-formal primary education. Some of our microfinancemembers are very poor and their children are not atschool, so we give them priority. The school roomneeds to have enough space for 30 children – 14 feetwide by 24 feet long – with four windows, one doorand a nearby toilet. For Primary 1, the children comefor 3.5 hours a day for six days a week.We have regular

meetings with the parents – we don’t just talk abouteducation but many issues including sanitation,health, and cultivation. We are always trying toencourage and motivate them to utilise their land.”

The programme targets older children aged between8 and 14 years who never enrolled in school before orwho dropped out before attaining the basic skills ofreading, writing, and arithmetic. Many never had anyopportunity to attend a school before because ofdecades of civil war and insecurity.

Joanne Edwin is a Community Organiser for theEducation Programme:

“We do a survey to make the selection of the girls andboys. We teach in English and follow the governmentcurriculum for P1 - this includes mathematics, socialstudies, science, English, and CRE [Christian religion].Some of the children's parents are microfinancemembers of BRAC; others live with their grandparentsas their parents died in the war.”

Mary is an orphan who lost nine members of herimmediate family in the war. She is starting her firstyear at a BRAC school and describes what schoolmeans to her:

“I live with my aunty.This is my first school. My parentswanted to send me to school. My favourite subject isEnglish and I am a good singer. When I leave school Iwant to be a health sister and help people.”

A girl writes in herexercise book on theopening day of the newBRAC school inManderia village in ToritCounty.

Our education programme in Southern Sudan is still in the early stages. Launched

in April 2008, the main focus has been to identify and set up the first fifty schools

with a further sixty schools scheduled for 2009. Through our community

organisers, we have identified and enrolled 1,500 out-of-school children - of which

58% are girls - from the poorest households. 35-40% are the sons and daughters

of our microfinance members.

Each school has a teacher who was selected by BRAC from the local community

and receives twenty days of teacher training. All the teachers are women with at

least O'level qualifications. They also receive a one day refresher course every

month. Many of these teachers lost their husbands during the war and the

teachers allowance is an important source of income for them.

All the newly opened schools have begun teaching Primary 1 to their classes which

will take nine months. After this is completed, the teachers will be receive 6 days

training in Primary 2 and so on until their students complete the four year course

and can join a mainstream government school for the rest of their education.


“This is the first time I have come to school. My sister Jane is here too. My favouritesubject is maths. I would like to be a teacher when I grow up and teach English.”Betty (14), BRAC student, Munuki neighbourhood, Juba, Southern Sudan.

PROGRAMMEHIGHLIGHTS

the basic concepts of education, child psychology,

different teaching and leaning techniques and how to

deal with child disabilities.

Teachers also receive monthly refresher trainings

throughout the school cycle to hone and strengthen

their abilities. All teachers are women, which helps

make parents comfortable sending their daughters to

school. This also serves to increase the status of

women in the community.

A school building is rented in the local community,

normally a one room structure made of bamboo or

mud, no further than one kilometre walking distance

from the students' houses.

Students are taught a curriculum which encompasses

both basic primary education as well as relevant life

skills, such as topics related to health and agriculture.

Flexible school times and a no homework policy allow

children to complete daily chores and other

productive activities. Zero financial costs to parents

and students plus a relevant curriculum result in

extremely low drop-out rates.

BRAC hopes to help the Government of Southern

Sudan achieve education for all, especially for girls.The

programme will contribute to the basic education of

the most deprived children in Southern Sudan, while

also promoting increased female participation in

education, not only as students but as teachers and

paraprofessionals.

The goal of BRAC's Education Programme in SouthernSudan is to educate children who have dropped out ofschool or never enrolled so they can re-enter theformal government school system.

Our Education Programme follows the governmentcurriculum of the five year lower primary cycle.

We intend to open 1,000 schools in ten states ofSouthern Sudan within five years. A total of 30,000students will be enrolled. At least 60% of the studentswill be girls in the age range of 8-14 years. We areaiming for 95% of the children to transfer to the higherlevel of primary cycle when they complete their lowerprimary cycle with BRAC.

We admit 30 to 35 pupils per school and employ oneteacher to provide the full four-year school cycle. Wefollow the Government Primary School Curriculum.Once pupils attain a Primary Level 5, they can bemainstreamed to Primary Level 6 in public schools. Alllearning materials are provided free of charge.

Teachers are recruited locally. Prospective teachers arecontacted by BRAC staff and encouraged to submit an

application. The hiring criteria include a minimum ofnine years schooling, successful completion of theSecondary School Certificate exam, and localresidence.

The main features of our approach are:

l School timing flexibility;

l Operating in a close proximity to student's house;

l Small class sizes managed by female teachers;

l Little or no homework;

l Child friendly teaching environment ;

l Relevant curriculum providing basic education andlife skills;

l No financial cost for students or guardians;

l Close involvement of parents and communities inschool management.

We conduct house to house surveys to identifyprospective students and teachers and cross checkour findings with local education officials to preventduplication and identify drop-outs.

Potential teachers are hired by BRAC and given 20 days

of basic teacher training designed to be proactive and

participatory; placing emphasis on practice and role

play teaching. Teacher training includes topics such as

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Zaida, a BRAC trainedteacher, helps a young girlwith her lesson in a BRACprimary school in Munukineighbourhood, JubaCounty.

Children attend lessons inPrimary 1 at their newBRAC school in CentralEquatoria State.

Zuruf Marta (10 years old)sits next to her teacher at aBRAC school in ToritCounty. She lost her armwhen her village wasbombed during the war.

BRAC teacher, Rose Aliyaa,helps a young boy learn towrite numbers in Manderiavillage, Torit County.

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Children leave after attendinga BRAC school in Hai Policevillage in Torit County,Eastern Equatoria.

Young boys from poorfamilies study hard on theirfirst day of school inManderia village, Torit County

Christine is twelve years oldand attending school for thefirst time in Juba County. Shelost both her parents duringthe war and lives with hergrandmother and brother.

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Training courses for BRAC Educationprogramme staff and teachers:

Course No. of Days Participants

Foundation training 6 All new sta�

Operational ManagementCourse (OMC) 6 All new sta�

Pedagogy ManagementCourse for grade I-IV 12 Programme Organisers

Annual refreshers 12 Programme Organisers

Basic training 20 Teachers

Orientation prior to grade change 6 Teachers

Monthly refreshers / orientation 1 Teachers

healthlivelihood development services

A new mother plays with her baby after receiving a home visit from her BRAC Community Health Worker who has been specially trained in maternal and neonatal health issues. The reduction of infant and under-five mortality rates is a key priority for BRAC’s essential health care programme in Southern Sudan.

Like many other African countries, Sudanlacks comprehensive healthcare. Decadesof civil war has made the situation worseand millions of returning internallydisplaced people and ultra poor lackaccess to a constant source of food -leaving 26% of the populationundernourished.

The healthcare situation in Southern Sudan is much

bleaker than for the rest of the country. Under-five

mortality is considerably higher and more children are

susceptible to die from easily treated illnesses such as

malaria (26%), pneumonia (19%) and diarrhoea (22%).

For adults, the numbers of malaria cases in the south

are 500/1000 people, which is more than double the

estimated numbers for the north. The World Health

Organisation estimates that health coverage is only

30%. Only 5% of pregnant women in Southern Sudan

will be attended by a skilled health care professional

when giving birth.

In response to this, BRAC Southern Sudan has

launched a programme to provide primary health care

services for our microfinance members, their families

and wider communities.This programme is based on a

proven model of community health care in

Bangladesh which provides primary health services to

more than 22 million poor rural households through a

network of 80,000 women volunteers.

Healthcare and microfinance are inter-related. Poor

women who finance their small businesses through

microloans cannot afford to be ill - they have to work

every day to make enough to feed their families. If

anyone is sick, food money is spent instead on costly

medicines and income is lost through non-working

days.

Our health programme takes a multi-pronged

approach to lessening health risks for poor

communities in Southern Sudan. We focus on: the

prevention of malaria, tuberculosis (TB) and HIV/AIDS,

the reduction of infant and under-five mortality rates,

increasing accessibility to health by taking health care

to the door step of the people and improving

utilisation of government health facilities.

During 2008, we started identifying and training

women from microfinance groups to become

community health volunteers, or CHV's. These women

are the central point of contact for the health concerns

of the local community. They provide essential

primary health care door-to-door to neighbours. The

volunteers also earn a small income from selling

health care products to other members, such as

insecticide treated nets, contraception, and some

medicines.

The women we select for CHV training show a sincere

interest in the role, have been recommended by their

microfinance officer as suitable, and have a business

that gives her time to do rounds.

Besta joined BRAC as a microfinance member in June

2007 and became a community health volunteer in

February 2008. She stayed in Southern Sudan during

the war, her husband was a solider. She had four

children but one child died.

“I visit about 10 to 20 houses a day. We run health

forums, and there are also household visits once a

month. We cover alot of problems, like family

planning. There are many mothers who need help. We

put them in touch with midwives or small clinics with

medicines. We try to get people to the local area

clinics, and then we also take them to see the local

health workers. I teach people about how to treat

malaria - and sell them mosquito nets. The goods we

sell are cheaper for the community.”

2008 was the first full year of operations for the health programme in Southern

Sudan. While still in the pilot phase, good progress has been made on

identifying and training the community health volunteers and working on

initiatives with the Government such as the mobile health clinics and national

immunisation days.

By December 2008, the programme was operating out of six branch offices and

had trained 60 community health volunteers from within the microfinance

groups. As a result more than 7,000 low income households are receiving a

monthly house visit and have access to health products and community health

forums. Additionally, 580 patients received medical treatment at mobile

treatment clinics set up in partnership with the Bangladesh Batalion working

for the United Nations Mission in Sudan (UNMIS).


“We need many things here. We need to send children to school healthy, to haveclean latrines, and take water from the bore hole. We need hospitals and doctors.We lack counsellors for HIV and there are not many centres for voluntary testing.” Besta, Community Health Volunteer, Juba, Southern Sudan

PROGRAMMEHIGHLIGHTS

A woman participantattends a communityhealth forum onpersonal hygieneconducted by BRAChealth staff in SouthernSudan.


PROGRAMME COMPONENTS

Reproductive Health Care

One of BRAC's primary concerns is to improve

reproductive health care awareness and service

utilisation. To fulfil this objective, CHVs identify

pregnant women during their household visits and

refer them to nearby government or non-government

health facilities. The CHVs raise awareness of

pregnancy care and pre-natal danger signs, and follow

up to insure that ANC and PNC visits are made to

health facilities.

The CHV keeps a check on whether her clients have

taken their Tetanus Toxoid (TT) doses and completed

the Intermittent Presumptive Therapy (IPT) course,

which is a promising treatment against childhood

malaria in Africa. She also raises awareness on the

importance of Voluntary Counselling and Testing

(VCT) for HIV/AIDS, and Preventing Mother to Child

Transmission of HIV (PMTCT).

Malaria Control

During household visits, the CHV identifies suspected

cases of malaria and refers the patients to the nearest

government health centres. She follows up to

determine test results and see if the patient is taking

their anti-malarial medication. A relative of the patient

is put in charge of supervising the drug intake

according to their prescription. The CHV then conducts

a follow-up visit to ensure the patient's recovery and to

make sure that the patient has not developed further

complications. The CHV keeps records of this

information in her household visit register.

The CHV sells Insecticide Treated Nets (ITN) in the

community and promotes the concept of every family

member sleeping under a net. She ensures that nets are

treated every six months and sells K-O TABS, which are

insecticides that are dissolved in water and sprayed on

mosquito nets to restore potency.

TB Control

CHVs implement a well tested community-based

approach for increasing and sustaining TB case

detection and treatment.

During household visits, CHVs ask simple questions

related to suspected TB cases (based on symptoms).

When a suspected TB victim is identified, the CHV

motivates that person to be tested at a nearby

government facility. She explains the dangers that TB

can pose to the sick person as well as the rest of the

family. She then follows up on the patient to

determine the test results. If the patient tests positive,

the CHV can also act as a Direct Observation

Treatment Short Course (DOTS) agent. DOTS involves

second party observation of a TB infected person

taking a prescribed course of medication so that the

patient does not default on taking their medications,

which results in drug resistance.

Family Planning

During regular household visits, the CHV mobilises

and motivates women to use modern methods of

contraception. She provides clients with birth control

pills and condoms. For other temporary and/or

permanent methods, couples are referred to

government primary and secondary healthcare

facilities.

Community Health Initiatives

BRAC takes a multi-pronged approach to

community health education. We offer community

health forums on issues such as a malaria,TB and HIV

prevention, maternal health, family planning, and

sanitation.

Basic Curative Services

CHVs are trained to diagnose and treat some basic

ailments such as diarrhoea, dysentery, common cold,

helminthiasis, anaemia, ringworm, scabies,

hyperacidity and angular stomatitis. They refer

individuals with more complicated conditions to

local public and private health facilities.

CHVs earn a small income by selling over-the-

counter medicines to patients.

The BRAC Southern Sudan Essential Health CareProgramme (EHC) is a scalable model of communityhealth care.

The overall goal of the EHC programme is to improvehealth conditions and increase access to healthservices by providing basic health services incommunities where BRAC has an establishedmicrofinance group. One member of each BRACborrowing group is designated and trained as aCommunity Health Volunteer. CHV's serve the healthneeds of the entire community, with particularattention to poor women and children.

Programme Objectives

l To increase reproductive health care services byraising awareness, ensuring ante natal care (ANC)and post natal care (PNC) visits, and facility baseddeliveries;

l To reduce the incidence of malaria, especiallyamong pregnant women and children, byenhancing control and prevention;

l To bring positive behavioural change forprevention of HIV/AIDS and ensuring access toHIV/AIDS services through communitysensitisation and participation;

l To develop a community based approach toincrease and sustain TB case detection and curerate as per the Millennium Development Goals;

l To improve basic sanitation and hygiene bybringing behavioural change and ensuring accessto safe water and latrines;

l To mobilise women and disseminate informationthrough village meetings and home visits;

l To collaborate with the Government to furtherfacilitate and strengthen the implementation ofnational tuberculosis, malaria and immunisationprogrammes.


During a BRAC training course for CommunityHealth Volunteers, Joy Micah, a Community HealthOrganiser, demonstrates how to prepare oralrehabilitation saline as a treatment for diarrhoea inJuba, Southern Sudan.

During a home visit,Mary Thomas, a BRACCommunity HealthWorker, checks apregnant woman fordanger signs in theMunuki neighbourhoodof Juba County, CentralEquatoria.

BRAC Community Health Volunteers serve the health needs ofthe entire community, with particular attention to poor womenand children.


By the end of 2008, 97% of the ultra poor women participating in the Food for Training and Income Generation (FFTIG) Project had graduated to BRAC’s mainstream microfinance programme. More than 200 women had taken out their first loan.

food security and agriculture

PILOT AGRICULTUREPROGRAMMEAs part of our 'microfinance plus' approach, we are

committed to establishing a full scale Agriculture,

Livestock and Poultry Programme in Southern Sudan.

Agriculture is one of the largest sector in the region's

economy and the most important source of income

for women. The programme will address the problem

of poor crop and livestock productivity in Southern

Sudan.

Our aim is to improve the efficiency and management

of small to medium farm enterprises. The programme

is designed to increase agricultural output, decrease

livestock mortality, raise farm income, and increase

rural employment.

In April 2008, we launched a pilot agriculture

programme in one branch near Juba while funding is

being secured for the larger initiative.

It is estimated that more than 70% of the population

of Southern Sudan are engaged in agricultural

activities for their livelihoods. During the long civil war,

there was widespread destruction of farms and

essential infrastructure. The farming communities are

slowly recovering but face a number of problems

including low crop yields per hectare, a lack of

availability of high quality seeds, and under-utilisation

of low cost irrigation methods.

In Bangladesh, BRAC has been working to increase

productivity of the agriculture sector since 1978,

developing many supporting activities such as disease

management, the dissemination of improved breeds

and crop varieties, the supply of livestock and poultry

feed, and milk processing and distribution. Since then,

we have helped more than 4.2 million people create

and sustain livelihoods from different kinds of

farming.

In Southern Sudan, poor people are involved in a

variety of small scale farming activities - such as raising

chickens, cows, goats or pigs - and cultivating small

plots of land of less than one hectare. In addition to

providing poor women with the investment capital for

their small scale farming activities, BRAC is beginning

to offer training and support on modern farming

techniques which can greatly increase their profits.

The central focus for 2008 has been delivering the

agriculture training for the ultra poor women

participating in the FFTIG programme (see following

pages) and establishing a ten acre cooperative

demonstration farm near the Walawalang village on

the banks of the River Nile.

BRAC's Programme Manager, Agriculture, Shawkat

Hasan, explained the process of acquiring land and

setting up the farm:

“We organised meetings with the community and

local stakeholders. We had to get permission from the

Government of Southern Sudan and State

Department of Agriculture. We went to the Juba

community to identify the right location - we looked

at available water sources and selected a place that

was beside the Nile River. We arranged a lot of

meetings - we discussed it at every level with both the

Payam and Boma chief and the communities as well.”

BRAC worked hard to establish trust with the farmers

and understand their existing knowledge and

expertise. Through on farm training, BRAC

demonstrated modern crop cultivation techniques -

such as planting in straight rows for easier

management. We introduced different types of crops

with the traditional varieties such as radish, spinach

and mustard.

There are now 27 farmers (11 women, 16 men)

involved with the farm - they are split into three

groups of 9 farmers. They come on alternative days to

work the farm. All the produce from the farm goes to

the farmers' cooperative and BRAC provides a water

pump so they can produce crops during the dry

season. Shawkat Hasan said:

“Moses is the farmers' secretary and is responsible for

marketing and managing the income from the farm.

We are trying to hand over the farm to the community

and make it self-sustaining. The secretary position is

rotated.”

The 27 farmers also act as agriculture extension

agents to the wider community by replicating the

modern techniques on their own small plots of land

and demonstrating through improved harvests the

success of BRAC's approach.

“Our main achievement is that we have set up a cooperative farm on the bank of theNile where we can demonstrate new farming practices and inspire farmers. This isthe first initiative of cultivating on a large scale in Juba.”Md. Rizwanul Bari, Agronomist, BRAC Southern Sudan

PROGRAMMEHIGHLIGHTS


l Household structure temporary - made of

straw/wood;

l Living in harsh conditions due to their inability to

access main economic activities;

l Lack of security and susceptibility to risk and

exploitation;

l Permanent resident of specific area;

l Willingness to be trained.

A study conducted by the BRAC Research and

Evaluation Unit on the selected women revealed that

they were considerably worse off in most household

indicators compared to the general population of

Juba, reinforcing the need for such a programme.

After the selection process, training was provided in a

number of areas based on discussions and

consultations with the beneficiaries. From this, it

quickly became clear that there was a strong interest

in agricultural activities. As a result, over 400 of the

beneficiaries were trained in agricultural practices.The

remaining women were trained in other income

generating activities such as tailoring, cattle rearing

and micro enterprise management.

Training on Vegetable Cultivation:

In order to create income generating activities and to

ensure food security by providing training and

agriculture inputs, the majority of the women on the

programme attended the vegetable cultivation

training.

BRAC's resident agronomist in Southern Sudan

provided one week of training on small scale farming

and production of vegetables and cereal crops at the

branch offices and project sites. Participants received

both theoretical and practical training and

demonstrations on how to cultivate a number of

varieties including some new varieties from

Bangladesh - such as a radish, Indian spinach and

amaranth.

Participants discussed their existing knowledge and

how to incorporate traditional techniques with

modern techniques. They also focused on the use of

agriculture tools, improved seeds, crop spacing,

rotation, intercropping, weeding, planting, and

fertilisation.

BRAC distributed sufficient agricultural tools and

equipments and seeds - in collaboration with the

United Nation's Food and Agriculture Organization

(FAO) - among the participating women farmers

which helped make the training successful.

BAN BAT of UNMIS also helped BRAC install a vital

water pump at the project site of Walawalang village

to ensure an all year water supply from the River Nile

in the project area. BRAC provided technical training

to the farmers on maintenance of the water pump.

By the end of 2008, more than 486 out of the 500

women participating in the FFTIG programme (over

97%) had graduated into BRAC's mainstream

microfinance programme. Out these 486 women, 241

had already taken their first loan, while the rest were

soon to follow.The average size of the graduates' loans

was slightly lower than that for regular microfinance

members at around USD 120 which was expected.

The results of this pilot project to help the poorest and

most vulnerable out of chronic poverty have been

very encouraging. From these early experiences, BRAC

hopes to include similar types of programmes as part

of its core inventions in Southern Sudan.

BRAC Southern Sudan has been implementing a pilot

project to address the urgent need for increased food

security and improved agriculture in Southern Sudan.

The Food for Training and Income Generation project

was initiated in order help households headed by

widows, many of whom are caring for children and

orphans, out of extreme poverty. Many of these

women have been left in this situation as a result of

the longstanding conflict that took place in Southern

Sudan. As a result of their extreme circumstances, this

group of people is often overlooked by regular

development initiatives.

BRAC was the winner of round IX of CGAP's Pro Poor

Innovation Challenge and commenced on an eight

month initiative, in collaboration with the World Food`

Programme, which was implemented in BRAC's

working areas of Haigabat, Munuki, Atlabara,

Jebelkujur, Bullock, and Kator of Juba County.

The approach uses targeted and limited food aid that

creates a window of opportunity for ultra poor

women to receive specific livelihood development

interventions. These include skills development,

health education and support, and confidence

building through the formation of groups and

interactions so they can start income generating

activities and make use of effective microcredit.

This synergy of food aid and training is especially

important as food aid alone only alleviates short term

vulnerability. By adding the element of training, BRAC

is promoting a form of self sufficiency to eliminate

vulnerability all together, and help break the

downward cycle of poverty.

Initially, lists of potential beneficiaries were collected

from each community where the BRAC microfinance

groups were located. Eligible households were then

selected on the basis of certain criteria including:

l The adult woman is a returnee and head of the

household;

l Household most vulnerable in society with high

dependency ratio;

Women traders at thelocal town market inJuba where many ofBRAC SouthernSudan’s microfinancemembers have stallsselling raw vegetablesand fruit produce.

The programme offered an integrated package of fooddistribution, skill development, and savings and creditopportunities to support the resettlement of displaced ultrapoor women.

BRAC’s cooperativedemonstration farm nearWalawalang village.Nearly 400 ultra poorwomen received practicaltraining on vegetablecultivation at the siteduring 2008.


FOOD FOR TRAINING AND INCOMEGENERATION (FFTIG) PROJECT

Vegetable cultivation 395

Setting up nursery 05

Tailoring 40

Entrepreneurship 35

Cattle rearing 25

Total 500

FFTIG Project – Training CoursesType of training No. of of Participants (100% women)

recruitment training and research

Ayaa Dorine, Credit Officer, Microfinance, Hai Police Branch, Torit, Eastern Equatoria.

By December 2008, we were employing 139 Sudanese people - 97% of whom are young Sudanese women.

BRAC has many young committed staffimplementing our work in the heart oflocal communities across SouthernSudan. During 2008, we recruited morethan one hundred new employees tohelp expand BRAC's various programmesin the region.

By December 2008, we were employing 139 Sudanesepeople - 97% of whom are young Sudanese women intheir 20s or 30s looking for the fast career trajectorythat BRAC offers our employees. Jobs that wereadvertised and filled in 2008 included microfinancearea and branch managers, school supervisors, healthworkers, and agriculturalists. In addition of these staff,BRAC engaged 21 expatriates and sector specialistsfor the smooth operation to our differentprogrammes.

Often a woman is hired as a credit officer for ourmicrofinance programme and can quickly progress tobecome branch manager and then area manager.Some women can start as volunteers - such as acommunity health volunteer - and can go on to bepromoted to full time paid positions. In the last twelvemonths, we promoted 17 women to managerial level.

TRAINING AND CAPACITYBUILDINGTraining is the backbone of BRAC's programmes inSouthern Sudan. As BRAC hires new staff, many ofthem straight out of college, it is critical to providethem with sufficient orientation and training. Inaddition, BRAC believes in constantly investing inbuilding the capacity of existing staff, helping them tolearn new skills and grow within the organisation.

Training new staff

In 2008, close to eight hundred people attended BRACtraining courses in Southern Sudan. This included thetraining of more than one hundred new staff inprogramme management and operations. Most of thenew staff will be working as credit officers andcommunity organisers; spending almost 80% of theirtime running microfinance meetings, communityhealth forums, awareness raising activities, andundertaking survey work and monitoring. All thetraining is participative with brainstorming, large andsmall group discussions, case study analysis, andpresentations in the round.

A typical induction for new staff members includes athree day course at the TARC; one month of fieldexperience in a branch office; and one week ofoperational training and learning about development.

Training is also given to the area and branchmanagers, project officers, trainers, and communityorganisers for the different programmes. We offer twotypes of training: operational training and training onmanagement and development theory. The trainingneeds of the programmes are being continuallyassessed with frequent field visits by the team ofpermanent trainers and the wider pool of trainers.

All BRAC's courses are conducted by professionalfacilitators who have considerable experience intraining and capacity building in Bangladesh andinternationally.

MONITORING, RESEARCHAND EVALUATIONBRAC Southern Sudan benefits from a regionalResearch and Evaluation Unit for Africa that BRAC hasestablished in Kampala, Uganda. Currently employingfive full time staff, the unit conducts the majority of itsstudies in collaboration with researchers from partnerresearch institutions such as: London School ofEconomics, Stockholm University, University CollegeLondon, Bocconi University, World Bank, and researchinstitutions in the respective countries. The unit hasexpanded significantly during 2008 and will continueto grow in the coming year.

The research unit is responsible for assessing theimpact of BRAC's programmes in Africa andundertaking operations research studies to map theevolution and adaptation of BRAC's approach inSouthern Sudan and other countries in the region. In2008, we initiated five operational research Studieswithin various BRAC Africa programmes such asmicrofinance, health, agriculture and livestock, andempowerment and livelihoods for adolescents. Wealso initiated large scale base-line surveys to conductimpact evaluations of our microfinance, adolescentand health programmes in Tanzania, Uganda andSouthern Sudan.

In 2008, the research team undertook an evaluation ofBRAC Southern Sudan's Food for Training and IncomeGeneration project in partnership with the World FoodProgramme. The results revealed that the sampledhouseholds had high levels of vulnerability and lowhealth conditions (see page 18/19 in this report). Sixtypercent of households lived in a house with a strawroof and mud walls and 90% of households used atadooba (gas lantern) for their main lighting source.Ninety nine percent of the samples were femaleheaded households while the average household sizeand dependency ratio were 5.3 and 60% respectively.Only 4% had access to any form of financial servicesprior to being selected for the programme. Thisrevealed effective targeting of the ultra poor by theprogramme.

RECRUITMENT


2008 2007

SP US$ SP US$

Assets

As at December 31, 2008BALANCE SHEET

BRAC Southern Sudan

Executive Director Director - Finance

Fixed assets 241,604 113,195 48,114 23,470

Loan to group members 3,713,552 1,856,776 940,150 458,610

Grants and accounts receivable - - 792,081 386,381

Advances, deposits and prepayments 781,814 367,464 23,491 10,791

Cash and bank balances 13,339,060 6,637,184 606,085 296,318

18,076,030 8,974,619 2,409,921 1,175,570

Liabilities

Grants received in advance 2,295,061 1,144,574 805,262 392,811

Deferred income 190,767 87,846 - -

Term loan 7,805,458 3,728,729 1,230,000 600,000

Other current liabilities 3,677,801 1,960,765 67,427 32,890

Loan security fund 904,034 452,017 244,278 119,160

Capital fund 3,202,909 1,600,688 62,954 30,709

18,076,030 8,974,619 2,409,921 1,175,570

For the year ended December 31, 2008 STATEMENT OF INCOME AND EXPENDITURE

BRAC Southern Sudan

2008 2007

SP US$ SP US$

Income

Executive Director Director - Finance

Service charge on loans 1,006,043 503,022 156,335 76,260

Other income 180,346 89,301 26,050 12,707

Total 1,186,389 592,323 182,385 88,967

Expenditure

Salary and bene!ts 803,150 398,155 199,178 97,160 Travelling and transportation 167,660 83,233 113,253 55,245 Training and development 126,316 61,545 3,276 1,598 Rent, utilities and stationery 310,480 153,114 119,830 58,453 Maintenance and general expenditure 252,220 125,466 59,436 28,993 Reporting and data processing 215 100 - - Material development 42,054 19,560 - - Research and development 1,875 872 - - Operating expenses 149,833 69,690 - - Students books and kits 83,295 38,742 - - HO logistics and management support 514,532 255,792 - - Borrowing cost 418,412 209,206 - - Deal costs 386,830 193,415 - - Revolving fund for health volunteers 9,955 4,630 - - Loan loss provision 217,492 108,746 33,192 16,191 Depreciation 22,771 11,354 3,460 1,688

Total Expenditure 3,507,089 1,733,619 531,625 259,328

Net operating de!cit (2,320,700) (1,141,296) (349,240) (170,361)Donor grants 2,460,655 1,211,275 2,194 1,070

Net Surplus/(De!cit) 139,955 69,979 (347,046) (169,291)


Programme Outreach

Total Number of States 4 (out of 10)

Total Number of Branches 17

Sudanese sta� 139 (83% women)

Bangladeshi sta� 21

Microfinance (since 2007)

Microloan groups 662

Microloan group members 14,613

Borrowers (current) 10,402

Microloans disbursement (cumulative) USD 3.4 million

Microloans disbursement (Jan-Dec 2008) USD 2.6 million

Microloans outstanding (as of Dec 2008) USD 1.9 million

Average loan size USD 260

Health (since 2008)

Trained Community Health Volunteers (CHVs) 60

No. of households visited monthly by CHVs (est.) 7,320

No. of community health meetings 6

No. of health meeting participants 165

Patients treated by CHVs (with BAN BAT) 586

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

3.5

4

2007 2008

USD

(in

mill

ion

s)

Years

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

18

20

2007 2008

Mem

ber

s (i

n t

ho

usa

nd

s)

Years

0.79 m

2.62 m

At a glanceProgramme Update as of December 2008

4,772

14,613

Annual Microfinance Loan Disbursement (USD) Number of Microloan Members (100% women)

*Exchange rate 2 Sudanese pounds to 1 USD

*

Education Programme (since 2008)

No. of trained teachers 50

No. of schools (on going) 50

No. of children attending classes 1,500 (57% girls)

Agriculture (pilot programme - since 2008)

No. of branches covered 1

No. of villages covered 1

No. of agriculture workers to be trained 27 (48% female)

www.brac.net

BRAC International

Aminul AlamExecutive Director

Imran MatinDeputy Executive Director

BRAC Centre75, MohakhaliDhaka 1212, BangladeshTel: + 880-2 9881265-72Fax: + 880-2 8823542, 8823614Email: [email protected]

BRAC Southern Sudan

Md. Abu Bakar SiddiqueCountry Manager

Plot # 05, Nyakoron West (opposite Jebel Hill)Jebel Kuzur, Juba, Southern SudanTel: Gemtel: +256 (0) 477 218022 Mobitel: +249 (0) 91 85662

brac southern sudan 2008 annual report

Documents

brac programmes

microfinance programmes

country programmes

range of programmes

associated programmes

successful programmes

core programmes

brac services