On 12 September, 2013, H.E. Mr. Hiroyuki Kishino, Ambassador of Japan to Ethiopia, signed two Grant Contracts for Grassroots Human Security Projects (GGP) at the Embassy of Japan with the Gelan Town Administration Oromia, represented by the Mayor, Ato Mulgeta Kebede and with the Libido Mareko Development Association from the Guraghe Zone/SNNPRS, represented by the General Manager, Ato Nasir Bika. The total amount of funding extended was USD 237,273.  

  Following the signing ceremony, the second for the GGPs in the Japanese Fiscal Year 2013, H.E. Ambassador Kishino remarked that all GGP projects are conducive to the empowerment of vulnerable and marginalized people and urged project partners for timely implementation.

   The first project for the expansion of the Delota Primary School in Gelan town, Oromia, will improve the educational environment of the school by constructing new school buildings. Although there are three primary schools in the town, they cannot accommodate all the school-aged children. This is also the case with the Dalota Primary School, one of the three schools.  Currently, two blocks with eight classrooms are available, but the school is overcrowded, as exemplified by the number of students per class, 105 at maximum, which far exceeds the national standard of 50. Through this project, one block with five fully furnished classrooms and another block with a library, a laboratory and a pedagogical center will be newly constructed.  As a result, about 300 additional students will be enrolled, and the average number of students per class will be reduced from 65 to 55.

   The second project is to expand the Udassa Repe Secondary School in the Mareko Woreda. Previously, only one secondary school used to exist in Koshe Town. As the secondary school is far from the surrounding villages including Udassa Repe, many students gave up secondary education in these villages.  In such a situation, at the strong request of the community, the Udassa Repe Primary School has been expanded up to Grade 9 in 2012/13, but only two classrooms have been available for G9 students, making classes crowded.  Moreover, about 300 students are expected to go to secondary school next academic year. Therefore, launching a well-established secondary school was an urgent task. The efforts by the local authority to build classrooms are not sufficient to accommodate potential students.

   Therefore, the project aims to expand the newly built secondary school by constructing new school blocks in parallel to local efforts.  Through this project, two blocks with five classrooms will be newly built. A library block and a laboratory block will be constructed as well.  As a result, the number of students who enjoy secondary education at Grades 9 and 10 will increase from 55 to 540, including 300 newly enrolled G9 students. 

   The Government of Japan has placed priority on human security for the vulnerable and marginalized people in society, and the GGP has played an important role to help such people throughout Ethiopia. Since 1997, over 330 projects have been implemented under this scheme in such sectors as education, water supply, health services, and other basic human needs.

12 September, 2013
Addis Ababa