MEKELLE (IRIN) – The humanitarian situation in the drought-affected north and north-eastern Ethiopia continues to deteriorate as severe drought bites.
“Rainfall in October, which was unexpected, was not of great help to the crops that were planted in May; only the livestock benefited temporarily, now the people are facing a significant crop failure,” a humanitarian worker, who requested anonymity, told IRIN on 23 November.
The area has experienced successive failures of the Belg (short rains ending in May) and Meher (long rains, which start in late July) in the past few years, resulting in low crop yields in some parts and near-crop failure in others.
The aid worker, a member of an inter-agency assessment mission to Tigray in the Eastern Zone in the northeast, said signs were that the situation could deteriorate, with rising malnutrition rates, crop failure, water shortages, population movement to areas where drought was less severe, as well as greater dependency on relief aid.
The findings of the assessment, by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Disaster Management and Food Security Sector, the Tigray Regional Disaster Prevention and Preparedness Department, OCHA, the World Food Programme, the UN Children’s Fund and several NGOs, including Relief Society of Tigray, will be concluded by end-November. These results will determine how many people will require emergency food aid and non-food assistance in 2009.
The Ethiopian government Woyanne and its humanitarian partners issued an update on 14 October, seeking emergency aid for an estimated 6.4 million people across the country.
A multi-agency rapid assessment of the drought situation in Tigray at end-September, and included in the October requirement document, recommended the provision of emergency food aid to an estimated 600,000 in nine “hotspot” woredas (districts) countrywide.
Tigray authorities requested the multi-agency assessment team in November to cover 27 woredas out of 34 in the region, a sign that drought was spreading fast.
Some residents of woredas affected in the Eastern Zone, such as Kilte Awlaelo, Atsbi Womberta and Tse-se Tsada Ambat, told IRIN they were considering migrating to other parts of the country, while others were contemplating selling their livestock, despite falling prices, to survive.
Gebremedhin Gebregergis, a farmer in Kihen Tabia of Kilte Awlaelo woreda, said his one-acre Teff crop had almost failed and he expected to harvest less than one quintal (100kg) and leave the most stunted for his one oxen and one cow.
“To survive, I have to sell some of the livestock, mostly the sheep and goats; but this will not be enough as the animals don’t fetch much on the market,” Gebremedhin, who has eight children, said. “Already I cannot send one of my children to high school even though he has completed Grade Eight because I cannot afford it; the priority is to be able to feed my family.”
Malnutrition rising
A health extension worker in Kilte Awlaelo said malnutrition rates had increased compared with three months ago and the health ministry had intensified efforts to prevent increases in cases of diseases such as malaria, diarrhoea, eye ailments, worm infestation and pneumonia.
“In June, we screened 746 children under-five for malnutrition but the figure dropped to only 415 in October because some of the children had moved to other parts of the country with their parents while others were no longer attending school because of the drought,” the health worker said.
They were now planning to screen the children every month, instead of every three months, to capture those severely and moderately malnourished early. “We were also screening pregnant women and lactating mothers every three months but we will also shift to screening them on a monthly basis.”
Escape by migration
Birizaf Tsegay, 17, a resident of Wukro village in Atsbi Womberta woreda, said the drought had reduced the harvest from her mother’s two-hectare farm to such an extent that migration by some family members was inevitable.
“What we harvested recently is not enough for our family; it may not even last one month,” she said. “I dropped out of school from Grade Three because I was unable to buy exercise books, my elder sister is also out of school, only my two younger brothers are still in school; to survive, some of us, including myself, will have to move to look for work in other woredas so as to send money home.”
In its September Focus on Ethiopia report, OCHA reported that emergency aid in Tigray had been extended to November due to poor food security in the region.
“There is a limited supply of cereals in most markets compared to livestock availability,” OCHA said.
ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia – A three-day workshop organized by IOM, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and the African Union Commission (AUC) on border management and irregular migration in the IGAD region opens on 26 November in Nairobi, Kenya.
The workshop will bring together some 40 officials and experts from ministries with migration related responsibilities and functions, including Ministries of Interior, Foreign Affairs, Labour and Social Affairs, Police, Intelligence and Security. Representatives from neighbouring transit countries such as Chad, Egypt, Libya, Niger, Tunisia and Yemen will also take part in the meeting, alongside representatives from the regional media.
The workshop aims to build on recommendations of the Inter-State and Intra-Regional Cooperation Conference and the IGAD Regional Consultative Process (IGAD-RCP), which was launched in Addis Ababa earlier this year by representatives from the IGAD member states.
Prior to the workshop, IOM in collaboration with IGAD and its member states carried out technical assessments of selected border points in the region to evaluate the technical capacities of immigration officials and of existing infrastructures to identify potential gaps in the management of regional borders.
“This workshop aims to contribute to the AU and IGAD policy processes aimed at improving border management systems within the region,” says Charles Kwenin, IOM’s representative in Addis Ababa.
In addition to discussing the use of information campaigns to ensure potential migrants are aware of their rights and are able to protect themselves from health and other related risks, the workshop will look at how to use migration as a catalyst for regional social and economic integration and cooperation.
The workshop is part of “The East Africa Migration Route Programme: Building Cooperation, Information Sharing and Developing Joint Practical Initiatives among Countries of Origin, Transit and Destination” funded by the European Commission and other co-sponsors including the UK, Italy, Netherlands and Malta.
MAYO, IRELAND – MONEY raised by a Crossmolina farmer in Ireland will be used to expand a new credit union-style organisation in rural Ethiopia – and Anthony Walshe says the cash will ‘go a very long way to help struggling farmers’ in one of the world’s poorest countries.
Mr Walshe has just returned from a week-long fact-finding mission to Ethiopia, where he witnessed at first-hand efforts to boost the livelihoods of people living under the permanent shadow of possible famine.
“I was part of a delegation of fund-raisers brought to Ethiopia by Self Help Africa, an Irish humanitarian organisation that is primarily concerned with improving the lives of farmers in Ethiopia,” said Anthony.
“We visited a large number of small communities where access to finance is proving extremely useful. Self Help Africa have been instrumental in setting up these local credit union-type organisations called SACCOs – Savings and Credit Co-operatives.
“We met farmers – men and women – who have been able to improve their lives, and those of their families, by borrowing even small amounts of cash. I found it absolutely amazing how much difference even €50 could make. It can go a very long way to help struggling farmers. They can start with €50, and gradually borrow more and more up to €500.
“Farmers who previously had very little were able to buy some seeds, put in a water-pump, or start some bee-farming. This starts them on the road to a better life. The small amount of money they borrow gets them started, and inside a few years, many of them have expanded into all manner of activities.
“One farmer we visited had built a new house, gone into agro-forestry, started growing all manner of crops, and multiplied his income. He is even planning to open a barber’s shop now. He had made incredible progress, and managed to secure his family’s future.
“All of this was possible because of the start he got in the shape of a small loan. When I raised the €17,000, I told people I would travel to Ethiopia with Self Help Africa, and see how the money could be spent.
“I am delighted to say that supporting the SACCOs would be a marvellous use for the money. It will be like a ripple in water, spreading out to benefit other local people, and generating wealth in the entire community.
“We met another farmer who, after getting a small loan to start off, was able to borrow more and more until he could actually build a house in the capital city of Addis Ababa. He built it as an investment, has it rented out now, and that’s something he could never have dreamed of before Self Help Africa initiated the SACCO in his area.”
The SACCOs have recently turned to the Irish League of Credit Unions for help in providing a regional framework in Ethiopia.
Patsy Toland, who led the Self Help Africa delegation to Ethiopia, said the SACCOs were ‘making a huge difference in Ethiopia’. He added: “This is one of the most successful programmes we have introduced in Ethiopia. It supports people with initiative.
“We have found that a timely injection of capital, in the shape of a micro-loan, can be just what’s needed to get people started. The money donated by Anthony, and the people of Mayo, will have a profound impact.”
For more details on Self Help Africa’s programme in Ethiopia, and other African countries, log onto www.selfhelpafrica.com.
“Before Self Help Africa, I had no access to money. Now that I have, my life has changed”
SACCO CASE STUDY
“Having my own money means so much to me,” says Amarach Doyo. A mother of six, Amarach has brought about extraordinary changes on her small farm holding since first gaining a line of credit from Self Help Africa’s credit co-operative in her village of Snipil, in the district of Sodo, Ethiopia.
Amarach is proud of of the changes she has managed to make to her life.
The opportunity to change her life came in 2006, when, along with neighbours and friends, she attended a public meeting to discuss a new initiative that might help them in their lives.
“We went and we listened. We were told that we weren’t going to get anything for free, but we were going to be given the chance to do something for ourselves, if we wanted to,” she remembers.
Amarach became a founder member of Snipil Savings and Credit Co-Operative (SACCO).
The simple matter of getting access to credit has transformed life for Amarach and her family. She has become involved in dairy and vegetable farming, and can also carry out intensive fattening of her stock.
She has funded the purchase and installation of her own water pump, which means she doesn’t have to undergo a six-mile round trip each day for water. There is evidence of improvement everywhere on her farm.
“I started with a loan of €50, and I have borrowed larger figures since then once I showed that I could repay,” says Amarach, who recently spoke about her life to a 25-strong delegation of Self Help Africa fund-raisers from all over Ireland.
“Before Self Help Africa, I had no access to money. Now that I have, my life has changed. Next I hope to open a shop.”
The SACCO is one of more than 110 locally-based lending and savings institutions set up by the charity as part of its efforts to help African communities to work their way out of poverty.
“SACCOs are one highly effective way to help people who live in conditions of extreme poverty,” explains Self Help planning officer Workicho Jatano. “We invite local people to sign up, encourage them to begin saving money at a very modest level, and then after a short period provide them with a loan with which they can start their own small income generating business.”
As a result, more than 12,000 – mainly women – have become involved in Self Help’s Ethiopian SACCO programme, and have established businesses as diverse as textile production, cooking, catering, animal rearing and fattening, beekeeping, poultry production, alcohol distillation, and general trading.
Self Help Africa is an Irish development agency working to improve food and livelihood security in nine countries in Africa. The organisation is currently embarked on a nationwide campaign to raise public awareness, and funding for its work in these countries.
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia – International Finance Corporation (IFC), which is member of the World Bank Group, opens office in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, to increase its activity in support of Ethiopia’s development. [World Bank is one of the main causes of Africa’s misery by financing brutal dictators such as Ethiopia’s brutal tribalist warlord Meles Zenawi.]
IFC’s Executive Vice President and CEO Lars Thunell said: “IFC’s new office in Ethiopia demonstrates our commitment to working with the government and the private sector to support Ethiopia’s continued economic growth. IFC has the innovation, global expertise and now on-the-ground presence to better serve the needs of the private sector in Ethiopia.”
IFC’s strategy in Ethiopia focuses on proactively developing new investment projects public-private partnerships that promote economic growth, and mobilizing direct investments to key sectors of the economy, including agri-business, financial services, health and education, infrastructure, manufacturing and tourism.
It is also indicated that IFC’s advisory services provides support to improve the investment climate, encourage entrepreneurs, and promote better access to finance through measures such as leasing, particularly small and medium enterprises.
IFC is currently considering developing the leasing sector through an investment and advisory services that will help establish Ethiopia’s first leasing company.
Before opening its office in Addis Ababa, IFC committed this year a $55 million loan to Derba Midroc Cement, a company under construction in Ethiopia, which is owned by Saudi Arabia’s tycoon, Sheikh Mohammed Hussein Ali Al-Amoudi, who IFC worked with in 2007 to build to build the first cement plant in eastern Yemen.
IFC is the largest multilateral source of financing for private enterprises in emerging markets and its share capital is provided by its 181 member countries. In 2008 fiscal year, it committed $11.4 billion from its own account to 372 projects in 85 countries and provided advisory services in 97 countries.
In a related development, the World Bank this week reveals its decision to provide $2.7 billion for three years (from 2009-2011) to Ethiopian government, which will be used to finance 28 projects.
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (WIC) – Unity University, the first private university in Ethiopia has become the 16th MIDROC Ethiopia sister company as of November 21, 2008. [In other words, Midroc’s owner, Ato Mohammed Al Amoudi, has bought the university.]
MIDROC Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Dr. Arega Yirdaw and Owner and President of Unity University, Dr. Fiseha Eshetu signed the agreement that makes Unity University the 16th MIDROC Sister company.
Speaking on the agreement signing ceremony in Addis Ababa on Wedensday, the Dr.Arega said MIDROC Ethiopia, which is widely engaged in various development activities, is buying full ownership of the university as part of its plans to assist efforts of producing skilled man power in the country.
The agreement would enable students of the university acquire better skills through supporting their education with practical trainings at MIDROC companies, he indicated.
The university will attach due attention to quality of education through improving its working procedures and by jointly working with local and overseas universities, he said.
Expansion of services to various states and activities that benefit women would be carried out by the university, he added.
Owner and President of Unity University, Dr. Fiseha Eshetu recalled on his part that the university has played great role in producing skilled man power in the country.
Unity University graduated 20,000 students in various fields of study over the past 10 years, he added. The coming in to MIDROC Ethiopia of the university would enable it boost its capacity to carry out more successful activities in the future, he indicated.
ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia – The dictatorial regime in Ethiopia released today 44 members of the rebel Oromo Liberation Front (OLF). The decision was recommended by the by the ministry of justice, it was announced today.
The Ethiopian President Woyanne puppet Girma Woldegiorgis endorsed Tuesday the recommendation made by the Board of Pardon at the Ministry of Justice and ordered to free 44 OLF members.
The decision comes after statements made the Ethiopian Prime Minister dictator Meles Zenawi who had given a green light for talks with a faction of the Oromo rebels last week. The ministry of justice said the pardoned rebels had sworn to be “peaceful, law abiding and productive citizens”.
However, an Ethiopian committee for political prisoners (SOCEPP) alleged today that the government had unleashed a new wave of arrest and repression against the Oromos in the country. The committee which is based in Germany accused the government of arresting dozens of Oromos and provided some names.
“Poet and lecturer Assafa Dibaba, OFDM secretary general Bekele Jirrata, ETV female employee Lelise Wedajo, Hilton Hotel deputy manager Kebede, Hawi Hotel owner Eshetu Kitil and singer Zerihu Wedajo” are among the arrested people according to SCEPP.
It further described the pardon of some “youths and old people” today as cover up of the on going repression against Oromos.
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (WIC) – Unity University, the first private university in Ethiopia has become the 16th MIDROC Ethiopia sister company as of November 21, 2008. [In other words, Midroc’s owner, Ato Mohammed Al Amoudi, has bought the university.]