On February 14, 2011, a signing ceremony for Japanese Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects (GGP) in the Japanese Fiscal Year (JFY) 2011 took place at the Japanese Embassy.  Six Ethiopian organizations were invited as project partners to the ceremony; Bodji Chekorsa Woreda, Ethiopian Future Children, Digelu-Tijo Woreda Education Office, Grarbet Tehadiso Mahiber, Takussa Woreda Health Office and the Ethiopian Evangelical Chuch Mekane Yesus. It is the first time that six GGP grant contracts were signed on one occasion. The total amount of funding extended this time is USD 599,505.

H.E. Hiroyuki KISHINO, the Ambassador of Japan to Ethiopia, on the occasion said that it is his sincere hope that the projects would lead to empowering vulnerable and marginalized people in need and contribute to the economic and social development of Ethiopia, and that the projects would be directly beneficial to residents in the respective communities. In addition, His Excellency stressed that the Japanese Government is committed to helping Ethiopia to achieve human security, which means a better and decent life for all.  

The Government of Japan has been active in extending ODA (Official Development Assistance) to Ethiopia for many years.  In JFY 2009, the total amount of ODA Japan extended to Ethiopia amounted to USD 96 million as compared with USD53 million in JFY 2007, which included bilateral assistance and ODA routed through multilateral organizations. The Government of Japan has placed priority on human security for the vulnerable and marginalized people in society, and the Grassroots Human Security Grant has played a valuable role to help such people throughout Ethiopia. One of the characteristics of GGP is that it directly benefits local residents. The GGP scheme was first introduced in 1989, and it thus has a history of 21 years to date. For the past 13 years, since 1997, over 270 projects have been implemented under this scheme in such sectors as education, water supply, health services, food assistance and other basic human needs. In this fiscal year (2010), the Embassy will implement 17 human security projects in such areas as education, water supply and health.

The six recipient organizations who signed grant contracts on February 14, 2011 were:

1. Bodji Chekorsa Woreda  (USD 101,128)
2. Digelu-Tijo Woreda Education Office (USD 106,379)
3. The Ethiopian Evangelical Chuch Mekane Yesus (USD 98,198)
4. Ethiopian Future Children (USD 100,550)
5. Grarbet Tehadiso Mahiber (USD 100,061)
6. Takussa Woreda Health Office (USD 93,189)



The description of each project is as follows:

1. The Expansion of the Bodji Chekorsa Preparatory School, West Wollega Zone, Oromia
- Bodji Chekorsa Woreda

This project is to construct two blocks of classrooms and a block of latrines on the existing campus. 200 combined desks and chairs, 8 blackboards and 8 teacher’s desks and chairs will be supplied as well.
In the Bodji Chekorsa Woreda, access to secondary education is extremely poor due to the shortage of schools. There are only two junior high schools while 32 primary schools exist.
With this project, an additional 544 students will be enrolled in secondary school.

2. The Expansion of the Tijo Secondary High School, Arsi Zone, Oromia
-Digelu-Tijo Woreda Education Office

This project is to construct two blocks of classrooms on the existing campus. 184 combined desks and chairs, 8 blackboards and 8 teacher’s desks and chairs will be supplied as well.
In the Digelu-Tijo Woreda, the enrollment ratio at secondary schools is extremely low, marking 16% while that at primary schools is almost 100%. This is a poor record as compared with the national average of 38%. There are only three secondary schools while there are 50 primary schools in this woreda.
With this project, 451 students who have been on a waiting list will be enrolled in secondary school.

3. The Expansion of the Functional Literacy Program in Oromia
-Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus

This project is to construct twelve new Literacy Centers for twelve Synods in the Oromia Region; one center for each Synod. Each Center will have two classrooms, equipped with 16 three-person-benches and two blackboards. In each Center, upon completion, a six-month adult literacy course will be offered to 48 adult students twice a year.
Since 1998, the Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus (EECMY) has run its adult functional literacy program through 132 learning centers located throughout the Oromia Region. As a result around 80,000 adult men and women have become literate. However, the literacy rate in Oromia still remained at 23% in 2009, substantially lower than the national average of 36%.
With this project, 1,152 socially and economically marginalized adults, who could not attend school when they were young, will have an opportunity to learn basic knowledge of literacy and arithmetic. This will in turn provide them better opportunities for employment and social activities.


4. The Water Supply and Road Construction in the Yaya Gulale Woreda, North Shoa Zone, Oromia
- Ethiopian Future Children

This project consists of two different programs. The first part is to buid a water supply system in Nono Chamari village, which includes one spring capping, one water reservoir, three water distribution points and a 2,400m water pipeline. The other part is to construct a 5km road between Tigi village and Fital town with one culvert.
In Nono Chamari village, access to safe water is less than 30%. The residents, especially women and children, are not only forced to undertake the heavy duty of fetching water, walking long distances, but also they face the risk of suffering from infectious diseases as most of the water they use is unprotected.
In Tigi village and its vicinity, the residents live in scattered farming areas, growing crops for markets in Addis Ababa. Due to the unpaved narrow road, access to markets and social services including a hospital is interrupted by muddy conditions in the rainy season.
With this project, 4,200 residents in Nono Chamari village will enjoy safe water, access to which will also be improved. In addition, 14,000 residents in and around Tigi village will be ensured better access to markets and various social services throughout the year.


5. The Water Supply to Improve Health and Sanitation, Gurage Zone, SNNPRS
- Grarbet Tehadiso Mahiber, a well known Ethiopian NGO

This project is to install a water supply system, which includes one spring capping, one water reservoir, seven water distribution points, seven laundry sinks and a 3,547m pipeline. A cattle trough will be set up at each water point so that the water for people and animals is separate.
In Dobi and Mekech villages, access to safe water is only 21%. The residents depend primarily on water from a river far from their residences. The women and children are not only forced into the heavy duty of fetching water, walking long distances, but the residents also face the  risk of suffering from infectious diseases, in particular, diarrhea and trachoma. It is reported that over 30% of infants suffer from trachoma in these villages.
With this project, 13,200 residents in these villages will enjoy safe water without the fear of water borne diseases. In addition, health and hygiene education will be given to increase the awareness of the residents.


6. The Prevention of Acute Watery Diarrhea (AWD) in the Takussa Woreda, Amhara
- Takussa Woreda Health Office

This project is to provide safe and adequate water by constructing 20 hand dug wells in all the ten most affected kebeles in the Takussa Woreda.
The Takussa Woreda is one of the areas most affected by acute watery diarrhea (AWD) in the Amhara Region. In 2007-2008, 1,189 AWD cases were reported there, and 14 people lost their lives to it. Although various efforts have been made to prevent and control the disease, AWD has been hard to combat because safe water coverage has not been sufficient. Access to safe water in this woreda is less than 10%. Many of the residents rely on water from a river as the number of wells available is limited.
With this project, 6,330 residents will be the beneficiaries of a safe water supply.
The Amhara Health Bureau has been carrying out a project called the “Amhara Regional Infectious Disease Surveillance (AmRids)” with JICA to strengthen the disease surveillance scheme, and the Takussa Woreda is one of the AmRids target areas. This institutional capacity building of the health services through the AmRids project, combined with improved access to safe water for the community, will contribute to the reduction of AWD cases.