MicroAid provides a new way of empowering the poor. Learning business skills through multimedia guides, practice and tryout to make the product, then sell the product in the global market

1. MICROAID FAMILY STORIES 2012
 Community Partners
 Extended Families
 Donors & Partners
 Village Products
 About MicroAid
MICROAID
15 years of practical help for low income families
MicroAid – a registered charity in the UK & Wales no 1125206
www.microaid.net | .org | products.microaid.com
Donations: www.charitygiving.co.uk/microaid

2. MicroAid in the world
In 2012, MicroAid has been operating in 7 countries:
1. Bangladesh 2. Burundi
3. India 4. Indonesia
5. Kenya 6. Pakistan
7. Uganda
Burundi Uganda Kenya Pakistan India Bangladesh Indonesia
“Practical help for low income families to help reduce poverty”
2

3. MicroAid Community Partners
MicroAid links your support for poor families directly with local community partner organisations.
INDONESIA
Community partner members and families with Community Partner Team members
MicroAid’s donor Toby and Amber Beresford Independent Child Shelter (Rumah Singgah Anak
when visiting in 2011. Human Love Foundation Mandiri), and MicroAid Manager Jalu Wardhana
(Yayasan Kasih Insani), East Nusa Tenggara. (second from right) Jogjakarta. Facebook:
Meet them on facebook http://www.facebook.com/rumahsinggah.anakm
http://www.facebook.com/darunimoersid.moah andiri
Community Team and families of Equator Kendari Foundation, Southeast Sulawesi. Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/equator.kendari
3

4. UGANDA BURUNDI KENYA
Kakeeto Idriss, Community Partner MicroAid Family group participating in the self-help
team leader, making organic gardens for family guidance given by the local trainer in a MicroAid
groups. Nakawuka Dreamscheme – NAKA from project: Community Mobilization Against
Kampala, Uganda. Facebook: Poverty – CMAP from Kitale, Kenya. Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/kakeeto.idriss http://www.facebook.com/moses.mukongo
Making soaps from potatoes and selling in the A mother and her children helped by MicroAid to
market advice from a local business man for a learn new skills sitting in front of their house in
MicroAid project self-help group. Community Gasenyi village, Burundi. MicroAid Community
Sustainable Development Empowerment Partner: Action Solidaire Pour Le Developement
Programme – COSD from Central, Kenya. Communautaire – ASOD from Kayanza, Burundi.
Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/asodecomasbl.asode
comburundi
4

5. BANGLADESH INDIA PAKISTAN
Ford Trust, a MicroAid Community Partner from
Community Partner Team members Samaj Tamil Nadu, India. Facebook:
Jagoron O Unnayan Kendra - SJOUK (Social http://www.facebook.com/ford.trust.5
Awareness and Development Center), Dhaka,
Bangladesh. Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/helen.rahman.7
Group of mothers rolling knitting yarn into balls Group of mothers following MicroAid tailoring
for sale locally. training at home to make school uniforms and
wedding garments. Community Partner: Society
MicroAid Community Partner: Pakistan Welfare for Educational & Environmental Development
Family Organization, from Punjab, Pakistan. – SEED from West Bengal, India. Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/sadre.alam.756
Community Partners Feedback
“Very unusual. We didn’t think we could access the internet, talking on Skype and Yahoo Messenger. Thank you Pak
Jalu of MicroAid who has taught us online. Please note also that what we are doing has never been done before in
the society around us. Thank you MicroAid. God Bless You”. Daruni M. Moah, team leader of Human Love
Foundation, East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia. Email Daruni: yakasni@yahoo.co.id
5

6. MicroAid Extended Families
“I’ve never seen stories of poor people with success in their
home business. On Microaid website, we can watch people
like us and learn from them. I want to join MicroAid”.
Rita Afriyani, a housewife, from Cikarang, West Java,
Indonesia. Rita is a new volunteer for MicroAid Learning
materials distribution.
Rita (right) with her aunt
“I and my family use coconut oil almost every day for
cooking. We used to buy it in the market. MicroAid invited us
all to learn together how to make coconut oil from coconuts.
Now we all know how to process coconuts that are available
in our yard and can make money from our own trees. One
day soon we will go to the market to sell our coconut oil
because now we are starting to make more oil than we need.
Thank you MicroAid for showing us this opportunity”.
Marta Goba, a project participant from Hewuli Village,
Indonesia.
Marta (white shirt) frying coconut milk to make
cooking oil from coconuts
“Now I have future”.
Akhter Jhony, a girl who managed to sew and sell clothes at
Krisnapur Uni Village, Gaibandha, Bangladesh. Currently, she
has managed to increase sales and earn income to US 1
Dollar per piece of cloth.
Akhter shows her home business clothes
6

7. Jamuna, embroidery seller.
Marselina, a sewing stall owner and friends are Jamuna sells her embroidery crafts at the
following the MicroAid sewing training to make Pillayarpatti temple after MicroAid training and
and sell local family clothes. simple step by step livelihoods learning
Read Marselina’s story at: materials.
http://blog.microaid.org/my-first-sewing-stall/ Read story about Jamuna at:
http://blog.microaid.org/selling-embroidery-
crafts-at-the-pillayarpatti-temple/
Fransiska (right rear) the founder of the family Akhter Jhony, gained independence through
vegetable garden and her husband Thomas sewing skills learnt through MicroAid training
(right front) who was crippled in an accident at and materials. Akter was able to leave her low
work and their children. Fransiska can now pay paid job in the factory. Akhter in the front of
for education of her children by selling the new family latrine paid for from her new
vegetables from the cabbage garden behind her home business profits. She is very proud that
house. A home business idea from MicroAid. now she can really contribute to a better life for
Fransiska has now become a village motivator in all her family.
her village, Wailiti, encouraging others to help Read story:
themselves out of poverty. http://blog.microaid.org/independence-
Read story: http://blog.microaid.org/skilled- through-sewing-skills/
mother-happy-family/
7

8. Hendrawanto, silver jewelry maker.
“Thanks MicroAid for helping me makes
Niba Rani, “MicroAid Projects has opened my products from home that the market needs.”
eyes”. Niba with her sheep and two lambs Read story: http://blog.microaid.org/from-a-
funded by MicroAid donors. mini-bus-driver-to-a-silversmith/
Read story: http://blog.microaid.org/microaid-
projects-has-opened-my-eyes/
Tovan Marhennata, a young man who
pioneered organic agriculture for MicroAid.
Tovan use a slingshot to scare away wild pigs Irene Wangari, organic soap maker from
and other pests from eating the village rice potatoes in Kenya.
paddies. Read story:
Read story: http://blog.microaid.org/sri-paddy- http://blog.microaid.org/introducing-new-
harvest-preparation/ technologies-in-kenya/
Community Partner: JIKA – Information
Network for Aceh Entrepreneurs.
8

9. MicroAid Donors & Partners
Testimonials
“Great personalized involvement. A refreshing way to give…” Jack Diggle, UK.
“I used Microaid project funds to make my own seed nursery so I can learn myself what grows well here and then
sell to others to make more money. Easier and much more practical than the other community development
projects we followed which was a lot of theory but no cash to actually do it! Thank you Microaid”. Katarina Ndona,
Hewuli village, Indonesia.
“Very interesting project, I am pleased to see that these ladies had the opportunity to learn some very practical
vegetable gardening skills. Excellent photographs and reports, plus it look like everyone enjoyed the activity”. Neil
Johnston, UK.
“Good pictures, clear budget, we understood exactly what everybody did and heard about both successes and
problems overcome in getting out of poverty”. Toby Beresford, UK.
"This is a very interesting and effective initiative. People who have ability to support with finance or skills should do
so. I think this is the best way to serve the disadvantaged people". Lutfor Rahman, Bangladesh.
"Hi there, I am interested in your charity and was wondering whether there are any opportunities for work
experience. Thank you”. Daisy Jones, US.
"Dear Sir, Thank you very much for establishing a micro aid. It's really encouraging and I would like to learn more
about that program here in Uganda (East Africa). Do you have offices here in Uganda at a moment? These are good
projects which our CBO would like to be involved in. I will be grateful to hear from you”. Nathan, Uganda.
“We are very interested in the activities undertaken by MicroAid in helping small communities to enhance the
economic and technological development of society through the internet”. Aisa Rauf, Indonesia.
“I am very interested in the programs offered by the MicroAid, who have the vision and mission of helping poor
families located in rural or disadvantaged areas, I beg explanation”. Oktovianus SB, Indonesia.
“The International Federation’s Flickr presence is managed by its communications department and the primary goal
is to publicize what the group does. The images uploaded to Flickr by MicroAid Projects, which has been on Flickr
since December 2006, are less aesthetic, but they also have a practical function”. Dean, blogs.photopreneur.com,
March 10, 2008.
Award for MicroAid
“They are truly making a difference in the lives of these lower income families and because of their tremendous
work, they have been chosen as our Cause of the Week!” David Wells.tv, USA, April 12, 2010. Read article: MicroAid
for Macro Results at http://www.davidwells.tv/microaid-macro-results/
9

10. MicroAid Village Products
Traditional Woven Cloth
Raw material for Wall hangings, Gloves,
Clothing, Scarves, Hats, Bags and
Wallets.
MicroAid Community Partner: Life
Source Foundation, Indonesia.
Embroidery Lace Knitting
Products: Blouses, shawls, fashion
collars, perfume bottle covers, table
mats and cloth and hats.
MicroAid Community Partner: Women
group Markijut, Indonesia.
Soap
Product: Laundry soap and washing up
liquid.
MicroAid Community Partner:
Community Empowerment Programme
Sustainable Development (COSDEP),
Kenya.
10

11. Recycled Plastic
Products: Bags, Slippers, Towels and
Wallets.
MicroAid Community Partner: Equator
Kendari, Indonesia.
Natural Shore crafts
Products: Necklaces, bracelets,
brooches, key chains and Rosario cross.
(Using only empty beach collected shells.)
MicroAid Community Partner: Human
Love Foundation, Indonesia.
Note: Website MicroAid Village Products can be found on: http://products.microaid.com
11

12. About MicroAid
15 years of practical help for low income families. 1998 -2013
MicroAid was started in 1998 by the Beresford family in memory of their father. MicroAid is managed and run from
its field office in Depok Indonesia under the board of volunteer trustees based in the UK. Consequently MicroAid is
one of very few UK charities without HQ overheads. This means donations can be used entirely on field operations
and the reduction of poverty. Funds are channelled directly to poor families and the community organisations
where they live.
Our Vision:
Families reduce poverty themselves through home enterprise. Learning starts from simple steps done now with help
from your family and friends. Seize your day!
MicroAid's Mission:
MicroAid’s local Community Partners help low income families to LEARN new skills using simple materials available
from MicroAid Library (www.microaid.net), GET SUPPORT through micro-project donor funds (www.microaid.org),
and CONNECT to community organisations, buyers and local markets (http://products.microaid.com).
Further information on MicroAid
MicroAid LIBRARY www.microaid.net
MicroAid PROJECTS www.microaid.org
MicroAid CONNECT http://products.microaid.com
BLOG http://blog.microaid.org
FACEBOOK http://www.facebook.com/microaid
TWITTER http://twitter.com/microaid
LINKEDIN http://www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=2928622
MAKE A MONTHLY MicroAid DONATION
Extend your family to help others through a regular MicroAid donation. Read the stories of MicroAid family
members and their community partners in MicroAid Family Stories 2012 on how your donation could help.
I would like to extend my family and support MicroAid’s vision to provide simple home
business learning guides, small seed money and market connections for low income
families.
DONATE NOW
http://www.charitygiving.co.uk/microaid
THANK YOU
12