Äthiopische Grüne Landschaft

Project Area

Abune Ginde Beret

Abune Ginde Beret

Long-term capacity building for 140,000 people.

Since the beginning of 2012, Abune Ginde Beret has been one of the project regions where the work is entirely financed by Menschen für Menschen Austria and implemented in collaboration with colleagues in Ethiopia who work hand in hand with the population.
In Abune Ginde Beret the security situation is tense due to the activities of insurgent groups. In order to protect our employees, we have restricted or paused our work in these regions and some of our employees are being deployed in other project regions. As soon as the situation allows, we will continue our activities as normal. (Status 9/2023)

Titel

Project start:
2012
Staff:
24 (Status in 02/2021)
Area:
1,360 km²
Population:
approx. 140,000
Main town of the region:
Bake Kelate
Location:
about 170 km northwest of Addis Ababa in the West Shewa zone. Between 1,000 and 2,500 meters above sea level.
Projektleiterin Menschen für Menschen Icon Project Coordinator:
Berhanu Bedassa

Challenges at the beginning of our work in Abune Ginde Beret in 2012

As in many rural regions of Ethiopia, the majority of the population in Abune Ginde Beret lives from the yield fields that are often far too small. When we started working in the region in 2012, crop yields were far too low for most families. Progressive soil erosion, unreliable rainfall and ever decreasing soil fertility posed great challenges to the people. Other major problems in the region were the lack of access to clean drinking water, plus poor medical care. As in the neighboring region of Ginde Beret, the eye infection trachoma was widespread in Abune Ginde Beret.

80 %

of the people did not have clean drinking water.

At the beginning of our work in 2012, 4 out of 5 people did not have access to clean drinking water.

50 %

of children under the age of 10 years were affected by trachoma.

Bacterial eye inflammation can lead to painful blindness if left untreated.

74 %

of households used kerosene as a light source.

Three-quarters of households used kerosene as an evening light source. Only 2 % used electricity.

What we’re doing in Abune Ginde Beret

Based on the principle of capacity building, the Ethiopian employees of Menschen für Menschen have been implementing a variety of initiatives in the areas of agriculture, water, education, health, and income since 2012.

Project work is always implemented hand in hand with the population. Families actively participate in the initiatives, and completed projects are gradually handed over to the responsibility of the population and local authorities. In this way, an important foundation for further development is created and the entire region becomes independent of external aid in the long term. In Abune Ginde Beret, we also benefit from the experience already gained in the neighboring region of Ginde Beret.

Project report (excerpt)

Beyond the initiatives indicated here, further activities in the fields of agriculture, water, education, health and income will be implemented in order to create a good basis for the sustainable development of the Abune Ginde Beret region.

Status of the evaluation unless otherwise specified: 6/30/2022

98

Nurseries established

The nurseries grow trees, grasses and shrubs for reforestation, as well as fruit tree saplings for families. The nurseries are later transferred to the responsibility of the population or local authorities.

695

Hectares of land reforested

The saplings from the nurseries are planted in fenced areas in collaboration with the population. The village community takes care of the maintenance and protection of the reforestation areas.

126

Hand pump wells and spring catchments constructed

Wells and spring catchments are built near the villages. Clean, healthy drinking water sustainably improves people's health and saves them a lot of time collecting water.

17

Schools built

Schools supplied by Menschen für Menschen are built according to a proven principle that is characterized by a particularly robust construction. The schools can then provide a clean, bright place to learn for learning for decades to come.

2,706

Sight-saving operations performed

The main causes of blindness in rural areas are cataracts and trichiasis. The latter can be avoided simply through more hygienic living conditions. In the final stage, however, only surgery protects against blindness.

2,380

Women participated in the microcredit program

Microcredits often give women their first opportunity to earn an income on their own. The credit groups operate independently, and the entire region benefits from economic development in the long term.

The people behind the numbers: our success is measurable and changing lives.

To make our work's success verifiable, it's not just about the numbers and data, but first and foremost about the people. The following stories tell of the big and small successes achieved at Abune Ginde Beret.

Donations

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What we’re doing in Abune Ginde Beret. Insights into our work

We have compiled a few exemplary milestones and successes that show what has already been made possible in Abune Ginde Beret with the support of our donors since 2012.
Äthiopischer Mann mit Bulldozer beim Straßenbau

Access roads for development

Development can only arrive where a road leads. That is why a bulldozer is used in our project regions to create access roads to remote villages.

In Abune Ginde Beret, a total of 292 kilometers of access roads have been constructed since 2012, giving people improved access to markets, health facilities and secondary schools. Access roads also make it possible to build schools in remote regions.
Zwei Mädchen in Äthiopien bei einem Brunnen holen Wasser

Clean water changes everything

Only one in five people had access to clean drinking water when we began our work in Abune Ginde Beret. This resulted in severe illnesses that can be life-threatening, especially for the elderly and children. Trachoma, the bacterial eye infection that can lead to blindness if left untreated, can also be traced to poor hygienic conditions.

A total of 117 wells and spring catchments have been constructed in Abune Ginde Beret since 2012. In addition, a water committee in each community has been trained in the maintenance and care of the wells and spring catchments.
Lehrer steht in Schule in 'Äthiopien und unterrichtet Erwachsene Frauen

Education is the key to development

Sixteen schools have been built in Abune Ginde Beret so far, providing a clean, bright and safe place to learn for many thousands of children and young people. The schools are also used outside of class time to offer various further education courses for adults.

A training center was also built in 2014 in Bake Kelate, the capital of Abune Ginde Beret, where handicraft courses, microcredit training, water committee training and home economics courses are held, among other things.
Frau in Äthiopien mit zwei Kindern umarmt ihre Tochter

Evaluation of the first project phase in Abune Ginde Beret

In October 2014, at the end of the first project phase (2012-2014), the project work in Abune Ginde Beret was audited by the independent consulting organization FAKT.

The project work was reviewed in terms of its relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, and impact for the people of the region. In summary, all criteria were rated equally highly and Menschen für Menschen was confirmed as doing good work.
Doktor in Äthiopien untersucht Kind auf Augenkrankheit

Evaluation of the major trachoma campaign

In 2012-2016, a major trachoma control campaign was conducted in the neighboring regions of Abune Ginde Beret and Ginde Beret. Bacterial eye inflammation can lead to painful blindness if left untreated, but can be prevented by simple means.

At the beginning of 2017, the impact of the initiatives was audited for the first time, with an impressive result: the number of under-10-year-olds affected by trachoma in Abune Ginde Beret fell from an original 50% to 3.2%.