DWS Country Programs
Ethiopia
|
In drought-plagued northern
highlands of Ethiopia, a small-scale
irrigation project has meant new
life for residents. |
Over more than thirty years of collaboration, the joint program of the Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus (EECMY) and LWF/DWS have moved from emergency relief activities to holistic approaches for sustainable development. With this goal, the EECMY-LWF/DWS Ethiopia Program emphasizes food security, integrated rural development, disaster preparedness, and peace and reconciliation.
Ethiopia is one of the world's poorest countries, suffering the ravages of poverty, hunger, HIV/AIDS, malaria and the effects of recurrent drought and an unresolved border conflict with Eritrea. About 60 percent of Ethiopia's 64 million people live below the absolute poverty line.
The Ethiopia Program has the following emphases:
- Empowering vulnerable and marginalized rural communities through integrated development aimed at sustainable food security.
- Linking emergency preparedness, response, and rehabilitation with sustainable development.
- Building the capacity of local partners with the aim of emergency preparedness and sustainable development.
- Advocacy with and for marginalized peoples for their rights, peace building and reconciliation at local, national and international levels.
Soil and Water Conservation
To strengthen food security, the Soil and Water Conservation Project is actively involved in the construction of irrigation facilities using small rivers, springs and/or rainwater harvesting structures such as micro-earth dams, aimed at conserving the existing soil and water resources and utilizing them in a sustainable way. The project uses both cash and grain resources to support construction as well as community development activities such as agricultural development, environmental protection, savings and credit, institutional development and health/nutrition component activities.
Integrated Rural Development
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A starving and tired Yatani Dalayo
sits waiting in southern Borena
region of Ethiopia. |
The goal of sustainable development shifts purely technical support towards integrated community based programming.
The Ghindir and Rayitu Integrated Rural Development Project, begun in 1996, includes forage production and management, field crop production and bee keeping, a saving and loan scheme, health development and soil and water conservation.
The Ziqualla Integrated Rural Development Project, begun in 1995 and expanded to new coverage areas, involves water development, agricultural development, natural resources conservation, social infrastructure development and capacity building.
Four new projects in the remote Afar and Somali regions of the country are to begin in the years 2004 and 2005.
HIV/AIDS
The recently established HIV/AIDS Prevention Office is part of the holistic approach that focuses on staff training, education, awareness raising, de-stigmatization and support to victims, their families and communities.
Relief and Rehabilitation
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A Borana boy walks past carcasses
of cattle that died during the
drought. |
From 2004, the EECMY is the main operational actor in matters of relief, carrying the lead role on behalf of international partners in responding to emergency situations. As a church with more than 4 million members in 17 synods and 3 work areas, and an extensive development and social services organization, the EECMY and its partners have access to an incredibly wide grassroots network.
For Ethiopia, the impact of recurring drought on food production is compounded by the generally low level of economic development that severely limits the people's ability to cope. The 2003 drought affected 15 million people, and the EECMY-LWF/DWS Ethiopia Program assisted about 339,000 people in ten districts. Emergency preparedness, such as stockpiling grain, is part of every integrated DWS program.
For further information please contact:
Mr Tore Samuelsson, Program Officer
Local representative
Rev. John Halvorson, Representative
