Gender Equality Ethiopia Project #21272

Providing a basic education for 120 women in Kecho

by HOPE International Development Agency

Project Report | Feb 18, 2016
Changing Priorities

By Julie Cole | Fundraiser, HOPE UK

HOPE Ethiopia staff have now revised our project priorities for 2016. They include three water projects, one of which includes an additional SHG component to invest in 200 women in that village. Water is HOPE's core business and what we have the most experience in and have developed a strong reputation for. One of these new water projects is starting at present. We see clean water as a catalyst to transformational change. We will therefore direct our attention to fundraising for these projects for the time being.

However, as you might already be aware, in Ethiopia approximately 27 million people are living in extreme poverty. Given the lack of control over resources and many discriminatory traditional customs, the majority of those living in absolute poverty are women. Gender differentials persist at all levels, as reflected by social indicators. Generally, throughout the countryside 75% of women are illiterate. Even though primary education is encouraged, the rate of student dropouts among girls is much higher than boys as girls are often responsible for many chores which may interfere with their schooling. Therefore, Frehiwot Alebachew, HOPE Ethiopia Director, is passionate that any development plan should focus on this part of the community; encouraging women in their capacity as nurturers and providers for their families can create new opportunities for growth and productivity. It is for these reasons that we are investing in SHGs in addition to water projects and why it was our desire to invest further in providing a basic literacy and buisness skills for these women in Kecho.

As funding has not been made available, this project of providing education for 120 women in Kecho will not run. This does not mean that the need does not exist nor does it mean that these women are now literate. If funding were to be made available, our Ethiopian Director is still passionate about delivering this project.

We will be removing this project from the Global Giving site but are still hopeful that money might be made available at some point in the future. For now, however, we have decided to devote our energies to raising funds for clean water projects (and related SHG work in those villages).

Thank you for your support of this work.

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Dec 1, 2015
The first step to a changed life

By Julie Cole | Fundraiser, HOPE UK

Dinkinesh in front of her home

Dinkinesh is a 48 year old women who lives in Kecho with her husband, Gabisa, and 5 of her 7 children. A year ago they were using unprotected water for home consumption. They were also sharing their home with animals. Dinkinesh said, ”We experienced poor personal hygiene, drinking and washing with polluted water. As a result, we suffered from waterborne diseases and eye infections.”

Since HOPE International Development Agency implemented a Water, Sanitation and Hygiene project in Kecho 15 months ago, Dinkinesh Bola is one of many who has benefitted.

"Since HOPE implemented the project, we access clean water for our home consumption. We received education on sanitation and hygiene and women have been organized in SHGs. Now, to maintain our personal hygiene, we have separated our home from animals and constructed our own pit latrine from locally available materials,” Dinkinesh adds.

“We have also constructed drying bed and shelves for home utensils in our home. We always wash the utensils properly, washing our hands before meals and keep our children clean. As a result, we have faced no waterborne disease and eye infections at all in the past year. Now, our expenses for medication has decreased dramatically, instead of paying so much of our little to health institutions, we are purchasing clothes for our children and some additional home utensils. I have also purchased 3 hybrid chickens each for 50.00 ETB. In addition, I am a member of Yekicho Anbessa SHG and saving Ethiopian Birr 4.00/week and 1.00/week for social fund.”

Life has changed dramatically for Dinkinesh as well as for the other women in her community. They are watching their children go to school and bring home stories of their learning, whilst the parents are starting to see an improvement in their quality of life as they have more time to commit to earning money.

There are concerns, however, that with a 5% illiteracy rate among adult women, these improvements are limited. They still lack a basic education that allows them to be innovative with income generating activities and cannot keep records of their earnings. This also leaves them lacking confidence and unable to speak out for themselves. With an increased investment in functional literacy for these women, their present improvements will be more certain and there will be potential for continued economic growth for years to come.

Please consider investing in Kecho's long-term future.

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