Measurable improvements

• In Zimbabwe, over 25,000 people have had increased access to capital through participation in ASAP's IS&L project - "Kufusa Mari".
• In Southern Malawi 2,500 active "Chimvano Pa Chuma" IS&L members have already increased their own income in less than 8 months.

• Over 10,000 people now have access to and knowledge of the propagation and uses of medicinal herbs, Moringa and Jatropha trees.
• Over 10,000 people now have access to and knowledge of the propagation and uses of medicinal herbs, Moringa and Jatropha trees.
• 245 Village leaders attended training and disseminated information to their peers about HIV/AIDS awareness and how to best provide psycho-social support and counseling to those infected and affected by this disease.
• 245 Village leaders have attended training in nutritional gardening, permaculture techniques and conservation farming. They will also pass on this information to their communities.
• 24 Village leaders learned how to prevent the transmission of Cholera during the 2008 outbreak, saving lives by sharing information in their villages.
• Over 3,000 people have access to more food because of the 531 home drip irrigation kits provided by ASAP.
• ASAP Africa has trained 301 farmers about fertility trenches, 274 about compost heaps, 408 about crop rotation, 156 about permaculture, 334 about crop diversity in Malawi.
• 30 families caring for orphans are now raising rabbits to improve nutrition for their whole community.

• In 2008, over 25,000 teachers left Zimbabwe due to deteriorating living conditions and poor salary. In spite of this demoralizing environment, ASAP is proud of the following achievements of the Bridge the Gap project on education in Manicaland, Zimbabwe.
• 5,117 students are engaged in educational math clubs.
• 864 teachers engaged in extra-curricular teacher's math clubs.
• Fewer teachers are leaving the country in the ASAP?s Bridge the Gap project area.
• Teachers continue to be motivated, holding courses during school breaks and even during industrial actions.
• There is active participation during teacher's math club meetings and ASAP innovative teaching techniques workshops.
• There are well-attended math competitions held each year.

• Provided school fees for 28,000 orphans.
• 310 school classrooms and teacher houses were built by the community.
• Thousands of tools support hands-on skills training at primary and secondary level. click here for details

Intangible Improvements

Savings club members show off newly acquired household assets at a graduation field day celebration

• Increased confidence and pride as women acquired household assets - cutlery, linen, clothes, seed, fertilizer, hoes, wheelbarrows, scotch carts, plows, goats, chickens and in some cases even cows - basic items that "any rural woman would yearn to own!"
• Women most commonly used the cash they earned to provide for the needs of their children; food, education and health care.
• Women had more decision-making power in the home and received better recognition from their husbands as key players in provision of household needs.

Women celebrate success and encourage others to join so they too will have income to spare for family needs

• Social capital - women received more respect from their communities as?they recognized as contributors to meaningful development of their local areas and are elected community leadership positions.
• The general health of the women improved as, with cash in their hands, they were able to provide a healthier lifestyle for their families and themselves.
• Reduced propensity for some women to engage on antisocial behaviors, like prostitution and transactional sex.
• Child protection issues and child rights issues are now being discussed during savings session.
• Children gained uninterrupted access to education; their parents were able to pay school fees, and purchase scholastic materials. A snap survey at five primary schools indicated very high retention rates, growing enrollments, and re-enrollments.
• Ability to pay medical bills.
• School heads reported an improvement in the wearing of school uniforms or proper clothing at schools.
• Preschool attendance increased as women could afford early childhood education.
• IS&L clubs worked together to increase material and moral support for child-headed households in their villages.
• Women formed Home Health and Hygiene Clubs improving sanitary conditions at home and held competitions in this regard.