On 16 February 2012, a signing ceremony for the Japanese Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects (GGP) for the Japanese Fiscal Year (JFY) 2011 took place at the Japanese Embassy. Three Ethiopian organizations were invited as project partners to the ceremony; the Gozamin Woreda Education Office, the Gambella Orthodox Church Diocese and the Association Develop Horn. The total amount of funding extended was USD 329,030. H.E. Hiroyuki KISHINO, the Ambassador of Japan to Ethiopia, celebrated the occasion along with Ato Menweyelet Fasile, Head of the Gozamin Woreda Education Office, Abba Teklehimanot, Archbishop of the Gambella Orthodox Church Diocese, and Ato Muhumed Ali Omar, Chairman of the Association Develop Horn.

On the occasion, H.E. Hiroyuki KISHINO expressed his belief that all three projects would be significantly conducive to the empowerment of vulnerable and marginalized people in need and would contribute to the economic and social development in rural areas. He also mentioned that it is critically important that the benefits of the project should be enjoyed by people in the respective local communities as this is one of the most significant characteristics of GGPs.

The Government of Japan has placed priority on human security for the vulnerable and marginalized people in society, and the GGP has played a valuable role to help such people throughout Ethiopia. Since 1997, over 300 projects have been implemented under this scheme in such sectors as education, water supply, health services, and other basic human needs.

The three recipient organizations, which signed grant contracts on 16 February 2012 were:

1. Gozamin Woreda Education Office (USD 107,381)
2. Gambella Orthodox Church Diocese (USD 110,770)
3. Association Develop Horn (USD 110,879)
   

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The description of each project is as follows:

1. The Project for the Reconstruction of the Wonka Primary School in Gozamin Woreda, Amhara Region
-Gozamin Woreda Education Office (Local Authority)

 This education project aims to improve the learning environment for students by constructing two blocks with eight classrooms and having them fully furnished.
The Wonka Primary School is located 8 km away from Debre Markos, the major town in the Gozamin Woreda. The school was founded in 1960 and is therefore old. It currently has 1,089 students from grade one to eight. They use 24 classrooms in six blocks. However, the clay plaster has peeled off the walls, some windows are broken, and rain and wind easily come inside and often disturb the class throughout the year. The school furniture is also worn out. Such deterioration of buildings has caused health problems among students. With this project, the educational environment will improve, and young students from the 1st to the 3rd grade will be able to study without worrying about health problems.

2. The Project for the Construction of Meti Primary School in Godere Woreda, Mezhenger Zone, Gambella Regional State
-Gambella Orthodox Church Diocese (Religious Organization)

 This project also aims to improve the educational environment by constructing two blocks with eight classrooms and a block of ten latrines. School furniture such as combined desks and chairs and blackboards will be provided as well.
In Meti town, Gambella Region, there was no school for a long time as conflicts broke out among different ethnic groups from time to time. Hence, some children had no access to school, and others were forced to go to school far away with the result of high drop-out rates. To cope with this situation, a full-cycle primary school was constructed in 2010 in the center of Meti town. However, the school currently accommodates more than 4,000 students beyond its capacity. The quality of education has been sacrificed due to the overcrowded classrooms. More seriously, approximately 1,700 school-aged children in Meti town still do not have access to primary education. The project will contribute to the peace and security in the project area as a result of children from different ethnicities learning together in the same classroom.

3. The Project for Establishing an Irrigation System in Gode Woreda, Gode Zone, Somali Regional State
-Association Develop Horn (Ethiopian NGO)

 This project aims at raising the productivity of the farming land in the Kayane Kebele by introducing an irrigation system. This will improve food security and nutrition for the residents.
Gode is the second largest town in the Somali Region where more than 90% of the abundant arable land is unused. The water resource of the Shebele River, one of the biggest rivers in the Gode Woreda, is not utilized. As a result, the water supply is not sufficient, and no irrigation system is installed. Despite the potential, the agricultural productivity in the project area remains the lowest in Ethiopia. The residents are affected by drought, which frequently hits the region. They have to depend on food aid every year. People in the agricultural cooperative in the Kayane Kebele make their living by livestock husbandry, which does not guarantee stable incomes.
The irrigation system will consist of water pumps, water tanks, sluice gates, a canal, and a culvert. A total of about 1,440 agricultural cooperative members in the Kayane Kebele will benefit from this project. On top of that, the production of crops with higher market values will enable them to obtain steady incomes, which will help improve their quality of life.