Work

The past two weeks that I have been working with BERDO I have been involved in an evaluation of a two year project that was funded by Oxfam. The projected covered a wide range of rural development programs including:

Agriculture
- providing inputs
- loans
- livestock loans
- training for planting techniques
- access to markets

Natural Resource Management
- forest management
- collecting seeds
- planting trees
- plantings to prevent soil erosion

HIV/AIDS
- education
- testing
- counseling
- Home Based Care
- Drugs and training to take care of sick
- Vegetable and herb gardens
- Assistance for orphans

Gender and Education
- education on gender equality practices

The main activities of the past two weeks was going to villages where these programs were implemented and assessing their impact through a community meeting. It is exciting to be involved in work where the impact is clearly visible. Every village I have been to has indicated that the programs have made significant improvements to their lives.

It is unfortunate that Oxfam will no longer be providing funding BERDO, but they will continue has many services as they can. The organization has a number of its own income generating activities, such as the growing and selling of maize, vegetables, and tobacco. Also, because the project put an emphasis on sustainability the villages feel they will be able to continue many of the practices they have learned through the project.