QUALITATIVE MOnITORING OF SHIREE INTERVENTIONS: CMS5 INTERVENTION TRACKING Roi 1

reflections on the intervention FOR MANU CHING marma

Shiree Q2 Research on Extreme Poverty in Bangladesh
Author / Nikhil Chakma
Institution / Green Hill
CMS1 Reference / 203-14-31-5-0122
Interviewee name / Manu Ching Marma / Sex
Male / Age
42 / Ethnicity/Religion
Marma Adivasi/ Buddhist
Union, Upazilla and Zilla / Before the Intervention:
2no. Kuhalong union, Bandarban sadar upazila of Bandarban Hill District / End of ROI (1)
2 no. Kuhalong union, Bandarban sadar upazila of Bandarban Hill District
Dates of Interview / April 30, 2013
Well-being Status / Working extreme poor (2) / Moderate poor (3)
Livelihoods before and after the intervention / 1. Jum cultivation
2. Daily labour / Manu Ching
  1. Plough ( plain) land and Jum cultivation
  2. Daily labour
  3. Selling wine
Husband
  1. Jhum and Plough(plain land) cultivation,
  2. Daily labour

Productive Asset or IGA owned working capital / None /
  1. 30 Chickens
  2. Two Pigs
  3. Leased in plain land for paddy
  4. Working capital- 15000 taka cash in-hand
  5. Turmeric seeds 80 kilograms

Marital status and household composition / Married – Husband age 44
Daughter –age 17
Daughter age –age 12
Son age- age 7 / Married - Husband - age 45
Daughter age 18 – helping parents
Daughter age- 13, studying class 3
Son age- 8, studying at class 1
Keywords / Improved food security, expansion of agricultural crops, increased productive assets, economically empowered, and hired plain land.

Introduction

This is the first reflection on the intervention forManu Ching Marma, a beneficiary of Green Hill PRASAKTI project. This paper attempts to draw out the reasons behind the changes in her livelihood during the first year of the intervention. More information on her life history is available on the Shiree website:

-Sang-Ching-Marma-LH1.pdf

Life history and recent past

From her life history, we discovered that Manu Ching spent her life between extreme and moderate poverty. Though she hailed from a workingextreme poor status childhood, the death of her father had reduced the family’s overall wellbeing as her mother became fully responsible for providing for the children. As the children grew older they were able to start contributing to household income and wellbeing improved, but her situation deteriorated again when her siblings started getting married and separating from the household. Her husband was from an extreme poor family. They had no productive assets and relied on Jhum cultivation as their main livelihood. When Manu and her husband started having children there was a strain on the household’s income and nutrition which was compounded by a number of shocks. Health problems forced the household to take loans, relying on neighbours and extendedfamily. Two further shocks - her husband’s arrest by forest officials, and the destruction of crops by wild animals – further reduced the family’s economic potential.

Their overall wellbeing and can be analyzed within a wider political context of government policy related to national resources and the impact of Bengali settlers.

NGO graduation design

Figure 1: Graduation Process of Green Hill BHHs

Figure 1 shows how the project aims to facilitate graduation of 1300 extremely poor families in two CHT districts (Bandarban and Rangamati) through a combination of cash transfer (to satisfy primary needs as well as providing cash for investment in income generating activities (IGAs)), access to community financial services, access to improved inputs and sales markets and also BHH standard of living through access to savings, loans, and community insurance.

Three conditional cash transfers (CCT)

In this project, BHHs will be able to claim three conditional cash transfers (CCT). The firstCCT, BHHs will be able to claim three transfers in April (before rainy cropping season), and if conditions (they get cash transfers which they must invest in specific IGAs) are fulfilled, they can claima secondCCT again threemonths later. They can then claim a thirdCCT again threemonths after that (just before winter cropping season) as long as these conditions are fulfilled.

With primary needs guaranteed, BHHs will use their IGA transfers efficiently to developsustainable income sources. Green Hill staff will assist BHHs in planning their IGAs andsubsequent reinvestmentto sustain the impact of cash transferthrough VSL activities. VSL associations will be developed with beneficiary groups as soon ascash transfers have been completed.

This combination of interventions is expected to graduate the extreme poor and the outcomes willhave helped ManuChing’s familyto become economically empowered, increasing food security and enabling her to keepher children in school.

Theory of Change – community savings in spatially remote CHT

In the context of the CHT, there is no access to banks, or safe places to store cash. This means that extreme poor households struggle to save money, take out loans, or deal with shocks. The VSL officer of the project will develop community-led savings and insurance groups called VSL (Village Savings and Loans) associations. The methodology has been developed for use by illiterate people, and will enable savings to be developed (to be used for reinvestment or called upon in time of need), loans to be taken out, and insurance payments to be withdrawn in times of emergency.

What happened?

The intervention sequence

The project was designed to supply inputs to the beneficiaries according to household needs and satisfaction. Before choosing the input support, an induction and training session called, Amar Shopno (my dream) was held at the village level in early May 2012. Beneficiaries were informed about project activities, including the conditional cash transfer, and made development plan during the training session. Each beneficiary then chose their IGA according to their capability and these were then distributed in late May 2012 according to the Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) claim.

First CCT – education support, latrine and turmeric

For the first CCT,Manu Ching claimed education support for her school-going children, establishment of a sanitary latrine and turmeric cultivation at the Jhum field. She selectedturmeric so this could be cultivated on a large scale and expected to make a profit from its sale, while the education and sanitation inputs were to provide things she was unable to afford herself.Subsequently, she received training on water, health, sanitation, homestead space planning, education, immunization, malaria prevention and good parenting in June 2012. The main message of the trainings were the importance of fresh water and sanitation for good health and productive ability, how to design a model house and use proper land in the homestead, and the importance of education, immunization and using mosquito nets.

Second CCT mosquito nets and educational support

After fulfilling the first CCT claim she got two mosquito nets (based on family members) and 800 taka for education support of her two school going children as a secondinstallment in July 2012. She also received training sessions on working together, gender, nutrition and introduction to enterprise. The main messages of the training were to support each other, paying women equally, building confidence in entrepreneurship, buying quality seeds, selling and promotion techniques (selling in market,in the community, middleman and negotiation).

Third installment –4000 for cultivation and educational support

She got her third installment for effectivelyfulfillingthe first and secondCCT claim in September 2012. According to the CCT claim she received4000 taka for short term cultivation (potato, radish, cucumber) and 800 taka for education support forthe school going children. Then she hired a plain land to cultivate the short term crops and planted potato, radish and cucumber in the plot. Before receiving the inputs she received skill development training according to the claims in September 2012. Afterward, she attendedtraining sessions on seed collection and preservation, and quality inputs in October 2012.

The below table shows the intervention sequence ofthe project for Manu Ching:

Date / Assets/Inputs / Cash Received / Purchased By
December 2011 / Identification of vulnerable groups / 0
January 2012 / Group formation / 0
03 May 2012 / Attended at project induction + Amar shopno / 100
10 May 2012 / Attended training session at skill development / 100
21 May 2012 / Establishment of sanitary latrine / 500
21May 2012 / Education support for school going children-2 / 800
21 May 2012 / Turmeric cultivation at the field according to the claim and Review / 4000 / individual
12 June 2012 / Attended at training session on water, Health and sanitation and homestead space planning / 100
26 June 2012 / Attended at training session on education, immunisation and malaria prevention, and good parenting / 100
10 July 2012 / Attended training session on working together, gender + Nutrition and Introduction to enterprise / 100
29 July 2012 / Education support for school going children-2 children / 800
29 July 2012 / Mosquito net -2 numbers / 0
14 August 2012 / Attended review session and claims / 100
06 September 2012 / Attended training session at claims and review / 100
18 September 2012 / Attended training session on skill development / 100
25 September 2012 / Short term crop cultivation (potato, cucumber, reddish, white guard) / 4000 / Individual
25 September 2012 / Education support for school going children-two children / 800
25 October 2012 / Attended review session on reinvestment/future plan / 100
30 October 2012 / Attended training session on seed collection and preservation + quality inputs / 100
Total / 11,900

NARRATIVE

Early Stages

First installment

In February 2002, after Manu was included in the Green Hill project,her family selected 40 decimals of hilly land for Jhumcultivation. After that she received her first training on induction and Amar Shopno (my dream) held on May 2012during which she drew her aspirations for coming year. In May she received a mosquito net, education support, and help with turmeric cultivation at the Jhum field from the facilitator (front line staff)based on her primary needs. Before receiving turmeric cultivation she also received training on skill development.

After receiving 4000 taka in cash she bought four mounds (1 mound=-40kg) of turmeric seeds from the neighbors. Her husband helped her buy the seeds. She also borrowed twoMounds of turmeric seeds from her relatives to cultivate in the Jhum field for higher production. They cultivated these turmeric seeds along with other own Jhum crops such as rice, maize, chili, cucumber. Her elder daughter helped during the cultivation while her husband went to do day labouring to maintain family expenditures during the Jhum cultivation season. Apart from meeting the family’s food needs, he also needed to ensure they could pay school tuition fees of 500 takapermonth for their children.

Prior to harvesting of Jhum crops, her family had to borrow (at 5% interest per month) 2000 taka from their relatives without interest to maintain family consumption. They also had to go ownJhum field for weeding purposes.

In June 2012 she started to make rice wine in the house and sold rice wine to the neighbors.The profitfrom winewas about 300-400 takaper month and she saved some of this in the house.

Middle and later Stages

Second installment

In July 2012, she received second roundinput supports from the project as she had fulfilled the first CCT claim.This time she got 500 taka for establishing a sanitary latrine, 800 taka education support for her children and received several training sessions from the facilitator. After receiving support, her husband installed a sanitary latrine with a bamboo face near the house.

In late July 2012 their employerverbally agreed to give them two pigs (worth 2400 taka)on the condition that they would feed the owner’s pigs, and subsequently pay him back in cash. Manu paid the cash by daylabouring. Now the market value of the two pigs is 9000 taka. When asked how money and pig food was maintained, she said that she deposited some income from rice wine profits and residualrice wine was given to the owner’s pigs.

In August 2012 she started to harvest crops from the Jhum field. Her husband and elder daughter also helped her with this, and they harvested chilies, white gourd, maize, and leafy vegetables. The leafy vegetables were mostly consumed but they sold the chilies, white gourd and maize at the market. A total of 40 kilogramsof chilies, 50 white gourds and 150 pieces of maize were sold at the Bandarban sadar market 20 kilometers away for 160 TakaPer kg, 10 Taka per kg, and 2 taka per piece respectively. Byselling thoseproducts they earned6400, 500 and 300 taka respectively and also repaid 2000 taka of borrowed money.

From the money she got from the chilies, Manu bought two chickens from the neighbors’ worth 500 taka (per kilogram=250 Taka) for rearing. Sincethe chickens have laid eggs the number of chickens has increased and she now has 30 chickens in the household.

Third installment

In September 2012 she received 4000 taka for cultivation ofshort term crops and 800 taka for education support for her children as a third installment according to the CCT claim. After receiving the support her family cultivated potato, radish, maize and cucumber andleased in some40 decimals of plain land to cultivate for 2000 taka. She spent a total of 6000 Taka for cultivation of short term crops.

In late September 2012, the family harvested rice and tuber crops from the Jhum fields and harvested 15 Hari’s of rice from the Jhum plot. After that, they were fully engaged in the maintenance of short-term cultivation and didday labouring during their off-time. In October 2012, Manu sold three larger chickens in the local market and received 1125 taka in order to pay accommodation cost of her school-going childrenso they could stay in their aunt’s house. She attended a review session and training session on seed collection and preservation in October 2012.

In December 2012, they harvested50 Mounds of turmeric seeds from the Jhumland. Out of 50 Mounds of raw turmeric, they processed 25 Mounds of seeds for drying and got 4.5Mounds of dried turmeric seeds. The dried turmeric seeds sold at the village to the local businessperson and earned 9000 taka. The rest of the turmericpreserved in the house for further processing to dry and pay back the turmeric seeds they had borrowed to their relative. They spent 3200 taka out of 9000 taka for purchasing the GI sheet with a view to repairing the house and bought 30 Hari’s (Hari =10kg) of rice (at 140 taka per Hari) worth 4200 taka to mitigate food insecurity. They also bought some clothes for the children and necessary household consumption and savings some amount of money.

For further improvement of food security, they leased in 60 decimals of plain land to cultivate the rice, the agreement was to pay back 25 Hari’sof rice to the landowner after harvesting.

In the meantime, they harvested short-term crops from the plain land. They produced radish, potato, maize and cucumber. After marketing they earned about 400-500 taka from the radish sales, 2000 taka from potato, 300 taka from maize and 350 taka from cucumber. They also consumed and preserved seeds for future cultivation.

In January 2013, Manu was included as a workeron the road maintenance project (RMP) for 30 days for which shegot 150 taka per day.

She also started to save money (100 Taka per meeting) at the Village Savings Loan (VSL) association from January 2013. Each BHH can buy up to 5 shares in each meeting. Each share is 20 Taka. The meeting was held fortnightly.

In late February 2013 they were able to access three acres of hilly land for cultivation of Jhum for wellbeing of the family from the local leader. They prepared this land for cultivation of rice, banana, turmeric and other Jhum crops. During the festival of “Sangrai” she spent 3000 taka to celebrate the festival and bought new clothes for the family in April 2013.

Changes in the first year of the intervention are summarized in the life history and intervention map below.

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QUALITATIVE MOnITORING OF SHIREE INTERVENTIONS: CMS5 INTERVENTION TRACKING Roi 1

Intervention map for MANU CHING Marma (42 years old) from Date of Intervention to April 2013

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QUALITATIVE MOnITORING OF SHIREE INTERVENTIONS: CMS5 INTERVENTION TRACKING- ROI (1)

Disaggregated analysis

Material empowerment: changes in ability to command material well-being

The well-being status of the family improved to high moderate poverty (near the border of lower earning non-poor) from extreme working poor after the intervention.

One reason for their improvement was that the three cash installments went directly to productive activities, including cultivation (expansion in crop variety and leasing in further crops acreage) or livestock. The family deftly diversified these IGAs/asset sales over the crop year, using assets and savings to balance off asset purchases and consumption needs (such as selling 3 hens to fund educational costs of children).

Their productive assets have also increased significantly in their households from the months of June 2012 to April 2013. At present, they have thirty chickens (small and large size) in their household compared to none before the intervention. They also have two pigs and have stored turmeric seeds for future cultivation