An inauguration ceremony took place on 10 February, 2011 to mark the completion of “the Project for Constructing the Patient Staying Center in Dire Dawa”. This project was funded by the Japanese government through its Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects (GGP) scheme, amounting to USD 92,492. The project partner which implemented the project is an Ethiopian NGO, Cheshire Services Ethiopia.

H.E. Mr. Hiroyuki Kishino, the Ambassador of Japan to Ethiopia, celebrated the completion of the project, together with the Mayor of Dire Dawa, as well as members of the community.

Disability is still a prominent issue in Dire Dawa and its surrounding areas due to past conflicts and landmines leftover in the neighboring Somali Region. The lack of adequate medical facilities makes the life of disabled people even more difficult. Despite the continuous efforts of the Cheshire Services Ethiopia to provide physiotherapy and orthopedic services to those disabled, the lack of an appropriate facility to accommodate poor patients who come from far away for medical treatment has proven to be a serious challenge. The customization of prosthetic limbs and the necessary training afterwards take an average of 15 days, which many patients find impossible to afford.   

The patient staying center constructed through this project, equipped with 20 beds, will greatly mitigate this problem by providing free accommodation to those patients who had previously been forced to give up treatment. The Grant has also funded the construction of a feeding center to provide food for patients undergoing treatment. From its geographical location, Cheshire Services Ethiopia-Dire Dawa attracts many victims from the conflict in the Somali Region and through this project, it is estimated that approximately 240 patients will receive necessary medical services in the first year. Then this number is expected to increase to 360 annually in the following years. 

Since 1997, the Embassy of Japan in Ethiopia has supported over 270 Grassroots Human Security Projects throughout Ethiopia, in areas of basic human needs such as education, water, agriculture, and health. The Government of Japan has supported and will continue to support projects at the grassroots level which are beneficial to marginalized and vulnerable people in Ethiopia.