Since 2003, JOICFP and its counterpart in Vietnam, VINAFPA, have been conducting a pilot project for sustainable community-based reproductive health, family planning and safe motherhood in Gia Binh District, Bach Ninh Province, 30 km east of Hanoi. Thirty-six volunteer community-based distributors (CBDs) were trained to cover around 100,000 people to provide counseling and services for ante- and post-natal care, distribute contraceptive methods, and make referrals.

VINAFPA provided advocacy materials for CBDs to use on home visits, and through the MCCOBA scheme, JOICFP provided reconditioned bicycles, as well as stationery, raincoats and flashlights.

As the CBDs give up a lot of their volunteering time to promote health in the community, it was decided in 2004 to introduce a micro-credit program to assist with CBD project sustainability, not only financially but also for motivation of the volunteers.

Following established procedures, CBDs were offered micro-credit without collateral to the equivalent of US$ 50 - 100 to act as seed money for starting income generation. CBDs also learned from a Vietnam Women's Union (WU) branch that had very successfully used micro-credit to raise members' standard of living.

Local government, as well as organizations such as the WU and Farmer's Union, gave their backing to the scheme, and the CBDs were eager to participate with this support and experience. Furthermore, the community was supportive of the CBDs getting the micro-credit as they recognized the benefits the CBDs were giving to the community.

From 4th to 10th June, a JOICFP monitoring mission visited the project site, accompanying officials from the Ebara Association of Enterprise Association (EAEM), and the director of JOICFP's counterpart in Afghanistan, UMCA.

EAEM, which has over 2,000 small and medium business companies' networks under its umbrella, hosts a popular fundraising event supporting JOICFP each year, and it wanted to see how funds raised made a difference to the lives of people in developing countries.

Afghanistan is similar to Vietnam in that both countries were wracked by long wars, there are a large number of unemployed people, and poverty is a major issue. UMCA wanted to learn applicable experience and lessons from the project for making ongoing integrated safe motherhood, poverty alleviation and nutrition improvement in severe conditions more sustainable at the rehabilitation project stage in Afghanistan.

The mission met with several CBDs to hear their stories and attended a monthly meeting where CBDs support each other in the micro-credit scheme.

Ms. Vu Thi Deu,

"I make traditional Vietnamese straw hats. I borrowed seed capital of one million VND (around US$65), and now people come from all over the country to buy my hats."

Ms. Nghe Nuoi Cam, Lang Ngan Commune

"For micro-credit, raising silkworms is a good choice. I borrowed 40,000 VND to buy worms, and 20 days later I was able to sell the developed cocoons for half-a-million dong. Silk worms can give silk four times."

Ms. Pham Thi Hoa, Giang Son Commune, 47-year-old woman

"I bought two young pigs for 200,000 VND, and then they gave birth! I later sold three adult pigs for two million VND. I also bought one chick for 5,000 dong, and five months later it was worth 70,000 VND. I also did this with a cow."

Ms. Do Thi Anh, 52-year-old woman

"I borrowed money to raise fish. One year later, they are worth three times what I paid."

The success of the CBDs has not distracted them from their community activities as families recognize the benefits of CBDs and it confers status. These CBDs are now active, empowered and optimistic workers for community health.

A second project site has already been suggested in Yen Phong district, where VINAFPA already has a project. JOICFP has contributed bicycles to health workers previously through MCCOBA, and CBD activities are going well. Community leaders have agreed support, and JOICFP will provide some funding with the support of EAEM.

One of the CBDs in Yen Phong, Mr. Hoang Dae Thuc, a war veteran of 63-years-old, is happy to be still serving his country and is looking forward to the project.

Hoang Dae Thuc...

...and two of his clients