With this microfinance project, we helped provide better standards of living for families with disabled individuals. Providing mushroom farming cultivation is easy to manage, has good market absorption, and receives high margins, making it perfect as a sustainable source of income for families with loved ones living with a disability.

Mushroom farming has become a means for individuals with disabilities and their carers in the area of Pidie Jaya to break down stereotypes and the stigmas attached to living with a disability. At the time of compiling this report, the mushrooms have been harvested and are ready to sell to local markets. Thanks to this project, the community is more accepting of those living with disabilities, which in turn helps to empower and lift individuals and families out of poverty.

Our intervention with this project has already shown the improvement of living conditions for disabled families in Pidie Jaya. The response from the market has been positive with constant demands for more products from buyers. This project has also opened doors for the wider community who upon visiting mushroom houses have set up their own. The impact of local families’ lives has been phenomenal.

Mother and earthquake survivor Iby Salamah told us how she benefitted from the project:

“I’m really keen on this Providing mushroom farming cultivation program because it’s easy to manage. Productivity is high and the mushrooms are easy to sell in local markets.

Islamic Relief has provided us with training, as well as the mushroom cultivation house and advice on how to make backlogs for the mushrooms.
I’ve produced more than 2000 backlogs and I’m really confident the mushroom cultivation will lift up my livelihood and support my family.

My first harvest produced 1-2 kilo per-days with a market price of IDR 40,000 (£2.27) per kilo, so I earned more than IDR 80000 (£4.54) per-day.”