The document provides a training report on business development and micro-enterprise trainings conducted in Ghos Abad Union Council of Dera Ghazi Khan, Pakistan. The trainings assessed the impact of livelihood unconditional cash grants provided to 240 female beneficiaries for home-based businesses. Key findings included: (1) the cash grants helped trigger economic recovery and revival; (2) women felt more confident about business opportunities; and (3) communities needed training and market linkages to sustain livelihoods. The trainings utilized group discussions, presentations, and activities to teach basic business and marketing concepts.

1. Reported by : KomalZahra
Business Development and Micro-Enterprise
Training Report
Project: PEFSA II
UC: Ghosabad
District: Dera Ghazi Khan
Reported By: Komal Zahra
Consultant/Trainer

2. Reported by : KomalZahra
ACTED Pakistan
Regional Office Dera Ghazi khan, South Punjab
Business Development &Micro EnterpriseTraining Report
Livelihood Unconditional Cash Grants (Home based Business)
March, 2012
Program Section

3. Reported by : KomalZahra
Contents
Executive Summary………….
1. Introduction
2. Objectives of the Business Development & Micro-Enterprise Trainings
3. Methodology
4. Findings

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Executive Summary
Acted South Punjab conducted Business Development & Micro-Enterprise Trainings to provide
a picture of key findings about the adherence of Livelihood Unconditional Cash Grants
component activities with quality parameters and disbursement scenario in Ghos Abad Union
Council of District Dera Ghazi Khan. The Training sessions assessed the status of the key quality
indicators after disbursement of this grant under important component of Home based
Business. This training exercise covered all the villages named Sandeela, Dhanda, Syyed Sajjad
Shah, Chandia Gopang, Patti Kahirie, Zore, Pitaafi, Kishaani and Pathan Wala of Union Concil
Ghos Abad, District Dera Ghazi khan.
The key findings of these trainings remainedunder:
 The disbursed livelihood unconditional cash grants helped trigger the process of
recovery and revival of economic activities in the targeted areas.
 It was significantly found during Training Sessions and Focal Group Discussions that the
women feel more confident about the opportunities of initiating and reviving of home
based business.
 There was a need identified by the affected communities to link up them with markets
to revive their supply chains and sustainable livelihood base.
 The targeted communities showed a significant need of trainings and skill enhancement
for setting out their livelihood activities and expanding further. However, unconditional
cash grants helped addressing their immediate needs of livelihood recovery and their
business development and market link.

5. Reported by : KomalZahra
1.Introduction
The devastating floods that hit Pakistan during the last monsoon rains (June-August2010)
Ravaged homes and agricultural land and businesses and affected more than 18 million
people. While the recovery process has started in several areas , there are large population
groups whose livelihood has been impacted to such a degree they will likely need some
form of assistance for the coming two years, if not longer, to ensure day to day food
security and to rebuild their productive assets.
Considering the prolonged effects of the monsoon floods and the still unmet needs of the
affected population, the Pakistan Emergency Food Security Alliance (PEFSA) is determined
to continue working as an Alliance in order to maximize effectiveness in the response.
The Government of Pakistan declared relief phase of the response plan to be at an end in
January 2011.
The first phase of the PEFSA response April 2011, and the second phase of the PEFSA
response is to June 2011 to March 2012.
The Alliance Partners have developed a common needs analysis, interventions approach
and strategy. This includes common logical framework target groups and programmatic
modalities. The aim of the program is to support consumption of sufficient quantity and
quality of nutritious food and promote the rehabilitation and dignity through
unconditionally and conditionally cash transfer programming.
As per Donor required and assisted to have drawbacks of those all programmatic activities
and efforts giving to the beneficiaries.
As for the Home based Business, Alliance provide to disburse cash of 5000/- conditionally to
the beneficiaries and also transferred material for having their home base kind of business
like for (Quilts: - cotton and fabric and for Rugs:-dry leaves ect.). And after that two
installments Alliance offer them 15000/- for their self-groom and independences and high
security of their food perspective that they rehabilitate more and have and continue their
home base business at small level.
For this purpose, Alliance categorically arranged and organized learning sessions and group
discussions on business development and micro enterprise. Those sessions and discussions
motivated and encouraged the beneficiary to start a small level of business and where they
can have a better understanding of business and trade. Female beneficiaries learned and
understood the basic market rules and the trading methods. All the training sessions

6. Reported by : KomalZahra
planned for the beneficiaries that hw they utilized their cash and start small business and
have link with the whole-sale market and local-market and could survey the socio-economic
condition of their area.
2.Objective of the Business Development & Micro-Enterprise
Training:
The core objective of the Business Development & Micro-Enterprise of unconditional
Livelihood Cash Grant was to assess quality of implementation under Cash Grant
components(Home based business) of the PEFSA II project and the extent to which the
overall project objectives were met. The secondary objectives to make Business
Development & Micro Enterprise more effective and to assess the adherence of activities
with quality standards of ACTED’s livelihood framework , And thirdly the main purpose to
motivate , to educate ,to encouraged, to enhanced their business and trade skills and gave
them opportunity to learn the basics business rules and regulations and how to customized
things and how to deal and trade the local and whole sale bazaar. Fourthly, to check the
material they made by their conditional grant and to motivate the female beneficiaries to
start a small home based business by their own capacity and capability.
3.Methodology:
The Business Development & Micro-Enterprise Training for Livelihood unconditional
Cash Grant Home based business component was done in Ghos Abad targeted 10
villages, where the project was implemented. These trainings covered 240 female
beneficiaries with different three components:- (Quilt-making, Mat-making, Bread Plate-
making ).Trainer planned 8 days Schedule and each day two events conducted :-
(Morning +Evening). Participants gathered at one place and started the sessions with
Holy name of Allah .
 One by one talk
 Participants remarks
 Comments about going on topic
 Group work
 Group discussion
 White Board
 Charts
 Questions & Answers
 Conclusion
 Share Lesson learned

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 Purpose of the training
 Motivational thoughts
 Participants opinion about topic
 End discussions and hope the best
Trainings…Moza Bhindi Salman Shah…Uc Ghos Abad…District Dera Ghazi Khan
Date Event Session Participants Village Component
3-3-2012 Ist Morning 21 Sandeela Bread-Plate
Making
2nd Evening 21 Dhanda Bread-Plate
Making
4-3-2012 Ist Morning 21 Syyed
Sajjad Shah
Quilt
Making
2nd Evening 21 Chandia
Gopang
Mats
Making
5-3-2012 Ist Morning 24 Syyed
Sajjad Shah
Mats
Making
2nd Evening 24 Syyed
Sajjad Shah
Mats
Making
6-3-2012 Ist Morning 21 Patti
Kahirie
Mats
Making
2nd Evening 21 Zore Mats
Making
7-3-2012 Ist Morning 21 Pitaafi Mats
Making
2nd Evening 21 Kishaani Mats
Making
8-3-2012 Ist Morning 21 Pathan
Wala
Quilt
Making
2nd Evening 21 Pathan
Wala
Quilt
Making
Draft Agenda for Consultative Sessions on Micro Enterprise -3to8 March,2012
Agenda Methodology Responsibility Timeframe
Welcome note &
Objective
Plenary Trainer 9:00am
Introduction to
Participants & QA
Plenary &
Presentation
Participants &
Trainer
9:05am
Updates on
Beneficiaries
Businesses
Discussion Participants &
Trainer
9:15am
Definition Presentation Trainer 9:30am

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Types of Business Presentation/
Trainee
Participation
Trainer 9:45am
Key Pillars of
Successful Business
Presentation/
Trainee
Participation
Trainer 10:00am
Marketing Presentation Trainer 10:15am
Main Elements For
Marketing
Plenary
Discussion
Trainer 10:30am
Record Keeping Presentation &
Discussion
Trainer 10:45am
Profit / Loss Plenary
Discussion
Trainer 11:00am
Performance
Analysis
Presentation &
Group Work
Trainer 11:15am
Presentation of
Recommendations/
Way Forward
Group Work Trainer 11:30am
Vote of Thanks &
Closing
Trainer Trainer 12:00pm
4.Findings:
4.1-General Respondent Information:
The overall sample comprised of 100% women. The greater percentage of women in this
exercise was because of the reason that in category of Home based business all
beneficiaries were women. More percentage of women in respondents also proved to be
effective to get a clear gender perspective of the both LCG components implemented in
targeted areas. And all the beneficiaries willing to start their own small level of Home based
business.
4.2-Knowledge about the purpose of grant:
During sessions and discussions with the trainees it was observed that more than 89% of
the respondents showed a positive response against the inquiry about sole purpose of
LCG.They reflected a detailed elaboration during sessions and group discussions that they were
assisted to make their realistic and workable business plans .

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4.3-Utilization:
The result under the question about general spending, trend remained mixed and the highest
percentage went to the buying of food. The second prioritized area was purchasing of livestock
and the utilization of these grants for livelihood assets. During discussion with beneficiaries it
was retrieved that the people preferred to invest in purchasing sellable goods, livestock and
livelihood assets.
4.4-Triggering new business and economic activities:
60% respondents shared that they have started business while 30% retained their old livelihood
activities. Among 60% of businesses the highest percentage 25% was recorded for their going
on work as mat-making and bread-plates making. It was significantly recorded during training
sessions with the female beneficiaries that the project and he main purpose of training is
encouraged and motivated the initiation of new shops and small businesses through making
realistic business plans. It was also one of the important findings of that sessions and
discussions that these beneficiaries also tried to explore some new avenues in expanding their
livelihood base, particularly through livestock and investing in other small business (e.g ice-
cream making, small food shops and tuck shops). A positive perspective from women’s point of
view was noted that they feel a little empowered by getting special grant for their home based
business activities and now they can decide about the produces and choice of raw material
previously handled by their male counterparts.
4.5-Impact on Economic stability:
The training out puts indicated that more than 79% of the respondents showed positive signs
over role of cash disbursement in creating chance to improve economic stability of their
particular areas. It was also figured that out that the beneficiaries are able to restart their
businesses and most of them have revived their destroyed economic activities. The training
participants shared that improvement in economic conditions may ultimately lower the level of
frustration and unrest among communities.
5.Conclusions
The inferential outputs of the training sessions clearly indicate that PEFSA-Livelihood Cash
Grant component was implemented successfully in overall terms of:
 The cash grants for establishing home based business in targeted areas provided a
chance to initiate new businesses. This is a vital sign of revival for a sustainable
livelihood base of affected communities.

10. Reported by : KomalZahra
 The contribution made by these grants to empower local women and reducing the
sufferings of children was recorded as remarkable and their food security issues more
than 90% resolved and in future they are ready to face this kind of mishap with no food
security threat. This is also a clear indication of a process triggered for women
empowerment in the longer run. After all training sessions women felt more confident
in claiming their role in local economy.
 The all trainees during 16 events they showed positive signs for making improvements
in their livelihoods and food security concerns. There was a need for more technical
assistance in establishing linkages with local as well as big markets. And there should be
organized these type of trainings on business development.
Future Business Implementations (Training Outcomes) Cash Utilization
Beneficiary Basic
Needs
Health Home
Construction
Livestock Continue
Business
New
Business
%Age
240 10% 5% 3% 10% 20% 20% 52%
6. Recommendations
The concept of business development and micro enterprise training sessions should be
encouraged and introduced time by time
 The concept of cooperative economic activities should be introduced in these
communities as they showed positive signs and approach towards collective efforts and
benefits in the result.
 The cash transfer programming must have a strong component of social mobilization
and capacity building for the communities. As most of the community people demanded
trainings on skill development and business development especially for women.
 Continuous follow up on the activities revived or initiated with cash grants can improve
the outcomes further. These kinds of trainings can provide an integrated analysis for
future planning and cash transfer learning and business tools and the market linkage of
the targeted beneficiaries.

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Annex I:
Visual Images of Training Sessions:

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