CCFC Ethiopia
Christian Children’s Fund of Canada
Newsletter
Volume 3 No. 3
Promise of a Hopeful Future
Giving Children a Bright Start in Life:
Early Childhood Education
Children playing in the center
Children laugh and play in the newly built early
childhood care and education center in Dhibayu village,
located in Ada’a district in Ethiopia. This was made
possible thanks to the five-year education project that
Christian Children’s Fund of Canada (CCFC) has been
implementing in their area. The project, known as Lead
Education for Achievement and Progress (LEAP), has
been working in three underserved districts in Ethiopia
to provide access to Early Childhood Care and Education
(ECCE) for children aged four-six years. The project
focuses on improving quality education for children
attending primary schools.
CCFC Ethiopia Office
Christian Children’s Fund of Canada Ethiopia Office
was established in 1987, during the devastating
drought situation that caused losses of lives of
thousands of children. Currently, CCFC Ethiopia
Office works with six local partner NGOs operating
in Addis Ababa, Amhara Region, Oromia Region
and Southern Peoples Nations & Nationalities
The overall coverage for early childhood education in
Ethiopia is very low and the few available services often
require school fees, which many poor families cannot
afford to pay. As is the case in most parts of Ethiopia,
poorer children in Dhibayu village did not have access to
preschool centers.
Wudu Worku interacting
with the children in the center
“We are very happy the project has constructed and
equipped Dhibayu early childhood care and education
center with furniture, learning books, teaching aids
indoor and outdoor playing materials. The first group
of children have been attending school since September,
2013.
The children are provided with an environment that
nurtures their growth and development. Parents of the
children are also involved in the management of the
center along with the local education office” explains
Feleke Mehrete who is the principal of Dhibayu primary
school and has been given the additional responsibility
of managing the ECCE center.
Inside this issue:
Page
Giving Children a Bright Start in Life: Early Childhood
Education
1
Fighting Drought and Climate Change
2
Clean water transforms the lives of Communities in
Knoto
3
Improving Health Services
5
Community Based Organizations: Making Sustainability
a Reality
6
Encouraging Health Seeking Behaviours in Communities
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Volume 3 No. 3
Fighting Drought and Climate Change
A revolving seed project was introduced to improve
household food security in Langano area. CCFC
distributed drought resistant and high-yielding seed
varieties such as haricot bean, barley, maize and wheat
to the local farmers. This has contributed a lot; to not
only addressing food insecurity issues of local farmers
in the community, but it is also supporting neighboring
communities who, year after year, face similar challenges.
Wudu engaging with children in the center
Research shows that when children are well nurtured
and cared for during their earliest years, they are more
likely to survive, grow healthy, have fewer illnesses and
fully develop their thinking, language, emotional and
social skills. Later in life, they have a greater chance of
becoming creative and productive members of society.
“The project has trained us well on how to look after
and teach young children” say Wudu Worku a trained
facilitator at Dhibayu ECCE center. “We have particularly
learnt about the importance of play and the need to
encourage children so that they have greater self-esteem
when they grow up. The children and their parents
are excited and truly grateful that this center has been
opened,” adds Wudu.
Most of the parents of the children are poor farmers
with small plots of land for farming and daily laborers
who earn meager wages. As part of the LEAP project
activities, community discussions have also been
held to educate parents about the importance of early
childhood education. Many in the community did not
have any awareness about the importance of early
education. These attitudes are being changed through
the community discussions.
CCFC, working with the department of Foreign Affairs,
Trade and Development of the Government of Canada on
the LEAP project- targets 50 primary schools preschools
and 30 preschools across 50 villages in Ethiopia.
Within its regular sponsorship program, CCFC has also
supported, thus far, more than 30 ECCEs.
This project is implemented in Ada’a district in
partnership with a local non governmental organization
known as Ratson: Women, Youth and Children
development program.
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The revolving seed project supports farmers in the
project area by ensuring that farmers have access to
improved varieties of drought resistant seeds. The
project distributed either 25 kg of haricot bean, 50 kg
wheat, 50 kg of barley or 50 kg of maize to the target
farmers based on the compatibility of the seeds with
their farming land and their ability to pay 10% of
the cost of the purchasing of the seed. The project is
managed by a seed management committee, which has
thirteen members, including women, who are all farmers
within the community. These committee members were
selected by the community itself and have a one year term
of service before they are replaced by another group of
farmers. The farmers are expected to return what they
have been given in double during the harvest season.
From what the farmers return, they will save some seeds
for their next harvest while they also contribute to new
groups of farmers becoming involved in the revolving
seed project by giving them seeds.
The warehouse constructed by CCFC
This is bringing about great results as it is allowing for
a scaling up of the project. It is also encouraging the
farmers to improve upon their saving habits. Moreover,
the farmers are encouraged to save 10% of the payment
in a bank for insurance purposes. If any crop failure
occurs, that money will be used to replace the lost crops
for the whole community. This money will also be used
to purchase new selected seeds as the seeds lose their
productivity after three years. All these activities are run
by the seed committees, selected from amongst and by
the farmer themselves.
Volume 3 No. 3
The revolving seeds are stored in a warehouse, which
was constructed by CCFC in 2011. It has the capacity to
hold 1,000 quintals. The seed committees collect and
store the seeds during harvest season and redistribute
them to their members when the rainy season comes.
Three years ago, the total membership of the revolving
seed project stood at about 240 farmers. In 2014, the
total number of famers had reached 560. This year, the
famers were able to replace the old seeds and added
new varieties of seeds, which they purchased with their
savings. This shows that implementation of the project
by the farmers themselves will ensure sustainability of
the project for the future and will enable them to exercise
this community developmental activity by themselves.
giving us this excellent opportunity to have accesses
to improved seeds. Last year, I took 50 Kg of wheat
and collected a yield of eight sack (800 kg), after using
some of it for feeding my family, I sold the remaining
each quintal for 860 birr.”
This project is implemented in partnership with
Bole Bible Baptist Church Care and Community
Development.
Clean water transforms the lives of
Communities in Knoto
Lyon ploughing his farming land preparing for the sowing season
Lyon Erkiso, is one of the beneficiaries of this project
who has made tremendous changes in his life. Lyon lives
with his wife and has five children. He used to face seed
scarcities during the rainy season of each year. This used
to force him to rent part of his farming lands to other
richer farmers of the locality. But, since he became a
member of revolving seed project, he has been able to get
high yielding and drought resistant seeds that he sowed
on all of his farm land. This has increased his production
significantly. Now, he is able to easily feed all of his family
throughout the year and all of his five children are
attending school. He has been using the crops for
household consumptions, and he has also been selling
his crops in local markets to get additional money to
purchase different household items; such as furniture for
his house.
Lyon says, “Many local farmers, including me used to face
crop failure from lack of drought resistant seed varieties
particularly during rainy season. This forced some of
the farmers to take loans with excess interest from local
rich merchants and sell their cattle to buy food for their
families, and to buy seeds for planting during the rainy
season. But, after the starting of the revolving seed
project in our area, we have been saved from such
difficulties. I would like to say thank you to CCFC for
The situation before -where the villagers used to collect water from the
untapped springs
CCFC works in Konto area in Wolaita Zone, found in
southern Ethiopia. The villagers in Adarena found in
Konto used to face great problems due to lack of access to
safe drinking water. The situation used to be very difficult
especially for children and women. This is because the
children and women in the village are the ones
responsible for fetching water for use in the homes.
Often, this meant traveling far distances and walking for
more than two hours in search for safe and clean water.
Moreover, the community around Konto was highly
vulnerable to water borne diseases. However, this is
changing because CCFC has constructed water points for
the community by taping local springs and creating
access to safe drinking water within the village.
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Volume 3 No. 3
Tabaze collecting water from the village
water points
Tariku collecting water from the
village water points
“We used to travel for hours to fetch drinking water.
There is a great change now. We are very happy to
have clean water in near distance, just 15 minutes
walking distance from my home. Waterborne
diseases will no more affect us” says nine-year-old
Tariku Mathewos.
Tariku’s community used to suffer because of a lack
of clean drinking water. Tariku used to travel long
distances in search of water along with his family’s
herds. As a result, many children like Tarkiu did
not have enough time for study and play and their
mothers also complained that they did not have
enough time to do household chores.
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Tabaze Toma is a 38 years old mother of 5 children. She also
lives in Tariku’s community. She too is happy about the purity
of water and thrilled with the changes in her community. “I
have no words to explain how happy I am now that my children
are drinking safe water. Thank you because we no longer have
to travel far distances’’ says Tabaze.
Biruk Seifu
Biruk Seifu is a sponsored child who also lives in Tarku’s
community. She is delighted with the changes in her village as
she is now able to fetch safe water from close to her home. She
expressed her feelings as follows: “There used to be quarreling
among children and elders at the previous water fetching place
despite the fact that we did not have clean water. The water
was so bad for us and for our livestock. However, CCFC has
given us great relief we now have clean water. The community
has sufficient water as a result there are no more fights at the
water points.” This project is implemented in partnership
with Wolaitta Kale Heywet Church –Terepeza Development
Association .
Volume 3 No. 3
Improving Health Services
Temesgen Worku who has received treatment at
the health center
Mignot Taye Laboratory technologist in woreda 6
Mignot interacting with a sick patient
“Our health center has been equipped with very
important laboratory equipment” says Mignot Taye who
is a laboratory technologist in Woreda 6’s health center.
“This is making it possible for us to give services which
we were not able to do so previously. We are now happy
that we are able to do more diagnosis. This support is
really helping our patients” she adds.
Like other health centers in the city, Woreda 6’s health
center used to lack the required equipment and facilities
to provide primary health care services to the public. The
health center is expected to provide services to 25,000
people. People who cannot afford private clinics go to
the health centers when they are sick. However, those
that went to Woreda 6’s health center were referred
to government hospitals, at times even for simple
diagnoses. This was because of the lack of medical
equipment in the health centers. The referral process
often takes a long time and creates a lot of inconvenience
for the communities because it takes much more time
for them to get health treatments. At times, some even
give up since hospitals are too crowded to provide timely
services. The situation is very difficult for pregnant
women, infants and children under five and their lives
are always at risk.
This project focused on creating access to quality and
improved health services for the community; especially
for children. The project enabled the health center to be
equipped with important health equipment relevant for
delivery services and contributing to safe deliveries of
newborns at the health centers. This support is believed
to have contributed to the improvement of the health of
mothers and children in the communities.
Temesgen worku is a nine year old child who used to
have repeated stomach problems. He was diagnosed as
having giardia, a disease that occurs after drinking
unclean water. He has been treated in this health center.
“I came to the health center when I felt very sick. I was
not able to learn in class. They told me I was sick of
giardia and gave me the medicine. I took my medicine
and today, I am happy and healthy. Thank you for
supporting the health center” he says.
Gashaw Ayalew,
medical director of the health center
The medical director of the health center Gashaw Ayalew
says “Now after the health care equipment donation
the quality of the service given by the health center has
greatly increased. The staff are also motivated because
we are able to help patients while avoiding risks” he
adds. This project is implemented in partnership with a
local non governmental organization known as Arat Kilo
Child Care & Community Development.
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Volume 3 No. 3
Community Based Organizations:
Making Sustainability a Reality
Like other health centers in Addis Ababa city,…..
CCFC facilitates the establishment of community-based
organizations (CBOs) in the communities where it works.
It also supports them in building their capacity to ensure
that there are community based grass roots structures
with the ability to carry out development activities
started by CCFC. This helps to ensure the sustainability
of the development programs by creating a sense of
ownership of the programs by the local communities.
Bedria Mehmmode secretary in the apex CBO
Leader of Akaki Kality
sub city Idirs’ union
CCFC has been working with its local partner; Emmanuel
Development Association (EDA) to establish an Apex
CBO in Akaki Kality area. The apex CBO, called Akaki
Kality Yemahbereseb Tekuwmalt Timret, was formed as
a conglomerate of six community-based organizations,
including: local saving and credit cooperatives, idirs
(traditional social associations) and youth associations.
The Apex CBO, which has 15 volunteers as staff members,
is beginning to generate impressive results by raising
funds to assist with the construction of a primary school
in the area with four classrooms. Specifically, it had been
able to raise more than 20,000 Ethiopian birr. This shows
the growing recognition that the Apex CBO is gaining
within the community.
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Tamerat G/Mariam, who is the leader of the apex CBO
explains, “Our community organization has been vital
in coordinating the activities of other CBOs in our area.
We have been able to encourage them to carry out
development activities by mobilizing locally available
the resources. The establishment of our CBO has
brought changes in terms of being more organized to
lobbying local government to support community-based
institutions by developing workable legal framework
and creating a friendly environment to support improve
their functions. Currently, some of the CBOs in our
area have started to involve children and youth in their
structure. In the coming period, the Apex CBO plans to
ensure inter-organizational learning experiences of
member organizations and maximize their capacities to
carry out development activities in the community.”
“The Apex CBO is empowering women by encouraging
the women to come to leadership positions. I am very
happy that we have been able to mobilize funds to assist
children to go school and make their future brighter”
says Bedria Mehmmode, who the secretary in the apex
CBO.
CCFC has been conducting CBO self-assessment on an
annual bases for the CBOs in the program areas. The CBO
self-assessment has twelve key quality elements, which
measure the CBO capacity. CCFC uses these assessments
to evaluate and help support building the capacities of the
CBOs in the communities where they work. Accordingly,
CCFC has been providing skill development trainings to
enhance their level of understanding about community
development practices. This project is implemented in
partnership with a local non governmental organization
known as Emmanuel Development Association.
Volume 3 No. 3
Encouraging Health Seeking Behaviours in Communities
In Hidi village, found in Adaa district, many have gathered
to attend a community conversation session taking place
in their village. These community conversation sessions
are being used to mobilize communities to have more
awareness and understanding about Maternal, Newborn
and Child Health issues (MNCH).
“It is during the community conversations I further
learnt about the importance of getting antennal care and
giving birth in health facilities where you can be helped
by health professionals.” says 28 years old Tsehay who
has given birth to her third son at Hidi Health Center.
Her first two children were born at home. “The teachings
Teshay and her three-month-old son
were very important in helping me decide to give birth at
the health center. I have been attending the community
conversation regularly” she adds. The community
conversation sessions have been taking place every two
weeks in her village for the past five months. A group of
about 40 to 50 people in her village have regularly and
actively participated in these sessions.
A Community conversation session
taking place in Damout Pulasa District
CCFC has been implementing an MNCH project funded
by the Government of Canada through the Department
of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development (DFATD).
This project is known as Improving Maternal and
Child Health: Partnership and Action for Community
Transformation (IMPACT) and it has trained facilitators
to lead the community conversation sessions. The
trained facilitators are volunteer community health
promoters, known as ‘the Health Development Army’;
which is a government led structure that is committed
to delivering primary health care. These facilitators were
provided with a guide and pictorial teaching aids to assist
their sessions. The picture cards and guided discussions
have played very important roles in demonstrating
different issues such as hygienic measures, focused
antenatal care, danger signs of pregnancy and exclusive
breastfeeding. So far, IMPACT project has been managing
644 community conversation groups, in which 35,000
people have been participating. Women in Ethiopia
generally have very few visits to health institutions for
maternity care services. Traditional practices and norms
also discourage them from giving birth in health facilities.
Overcoming these challenges required IMPACT project
to use varied approaches, including creating awareness
and bringing about behavior changes in communities
about issues affecting women. The project focused on
providing community based education for, not only, the
women but also the men in the communities to enable
them to understand the benefits of maternity care
services and that complications that occur during the
time of birth need to be addressed by skilled attendants.
IMPACT project has been promoting behavior change in
target communities through well designed interpersonal
and group communication interventions strategies such
as public campaigns and making use of local radio stations. These strategies include; bringing on board traditional leaders and community elders so as to enable
them to understand and provide their support to the
interventions. Other strategies used include; shifting the
role of traditional birth attendants to become promoters of skilled delivery that take place at health facilities.
Interventions focusing on educating students from grade
5 to 8 as a means to reach their parents and other community members through behavior change communication are also used in the effort to promote the prevention
of and treatments for major diseases affecting the health
of children and mothers in their communities. Furthermore, the project has been supporting the building of
health infrastructures such as neonatal care units. It has
also been training health professionals, equipping health
facilities and providing motorbike ambulance transportation services for laboring mothers.
This project is implemented in Ada’a district in partnership with a local non governmental organization known
as Ratson: Women, Youth and Children development
program.
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Volume 3 No. 3
Creating a Future of Hope for Children
For further information please contact
Chrisitian Children’s Fund of Canada,
Ethiopia Country Office Addis Ababa Bole Sub City, Woreda 02
Tel: 251 116-18-78-75 or 251 116- 18-75-16 P.O. Box: 9123 Email: [email protected]
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