Income Generation for 5,000 Poor Ethiopian Women

BACKGROUND 

Pathfinder International and its partner, the Addis Ababa Women’s Association, received funding from generous GlobalGiving donors to support low-income women to engage in income-generating activities (IGAs) to increase self-sufficiency and productivity. With the support of these donors, 97 low-income Ethiopian women have started their own businesses. Each woman was provided business skills training, in addition to information on issues like sexual and reproductive health, reproductive rights, family planning, HIV and AIDS, and harmful traditional practices. Beneficiaries are engaged in various types of businesses including poultry, small-scale restaurants, vegetable gardening, petty trade, animal fattening and dry foods preparation. Testimonials from beneficiaries demonstrated that GlobalGiving support continues to bring about positive change in the lives of these women and their families by providing household food security, the ability to send their children to school, personal satisfaction, and control over their own income.

UPDATE

Pathfinder was able to conduct follow-up visits to the 30 women who were supported by GlobalGiving donors, and found that their businesses are thriving with their group capital steadily on the rise. They continue to face challenges for growing their business, like shortages of kitchen equipment and utensils, but they are positive and hopeful for expansion in the future. The beneficiaries are in critical need of continued support, please consider supporting these income-generating activities.

• Income Generating Activities Report_Sept2014 (PDF)
  

Pathfinder International

Income Generation Activity for Ethiopian Women

GlobalGiving Report

March 2014 – May 2014

BACKGROUND 

Pathfinder International and its partner, the Addis Ababa Women’s Association, received funding from generous GlobalGiving donors to support low-income women to engage in income-generating activities (IGAs) to increase self-sufficiency and productivity. With the support of these donors, 97 low-income Ethiopian women have started their own businesses. Each woman was provided business skills training, in addition to information on issues like sexual and reproductive health, reproductive rights, family planning, HIV and AIDS, and harmful traditional practices. Beneficiaries are engaged in various types of businesses including poultry, small-scale restaurants, vegetable gardening, petty trade, animal fattening and dry foods preparation. Testimonials from beneficiaries demonstrated that GlobalGiving support continues to bring about positive change in the lives of these women and their families by providing household food security, the ability to send their children to school, personal satisfaction, and control over their own income.

UPDATE

As we have reported earlier this year, the generous support of the GlobalGiving donors has been used to help a group of 30 women who created a restaurant business together in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. You may recall that the group suffered a setback when a fire engulfed their warehouse. The project provided about 30,000 Birr to help rebuild this warehouse and the attached restaurant. 

During this reporting period, Pathfinder visited the project beneficiaries who were able to restart their business despite the scarcity of kitchen utensils.  Given the nominal amount of funds received during this reporting period, the GlobalGiving project was not able to award another grant to the project beneficiaries. We will allocate donations received during March-May 2014 to June-August 2014 activities. 

• June2014 Report (PDF)