Dir Biyabir
Current Target Projects
1. Reforestation and Environmental Protection
This project will address the issue of severe deforestation and environmental degradation in the Northern Shewa region of the central highlands of Ethiopia.
The purpose of the project is to engage rural youth (young men and women) in the environmental rehabilitation and biodiversity conservation of their homeland. Dir Biyabir developed grant applications for this project and in October 2008 won a grant of $24,500 USD from The Christensen Fund to fund this project in full. The project site is in Kasset in Northern Shewa and is based on ADHENO's award-winning Gudifetcha of Trees program in which local farmers and villagers participate by adopting a tree and being responsible for it's care and survival. The success of reforestation initiatives is highly dependant on the sustained care given to tree seedlings after they are planted. ADHENO's highly successful approach to reforestation leverages the Ethiopian tradition of "Gudifecha" (i.e. adoption of children) to foster a sense of caring and protection of tree seedlings among local farmers and villagers. Villagers are compensated for trees that survive and are thus able to earn some much needed income.
Based on the demonstrated success of Phase I of this project, in April 2010 The Christensen Fund awarded Dir Biyabir an additional $25,000 USD to fund Phase II of this project.
Project goals are:
Phase II of the project will expand and further reinforce what was initiated in the first phase. Key goals include:
2. Books for "School for Humanity", Shashemene
The organization Schools for Humanity has established a primary school in Shashemene, Ethiopia. The school serves 278 students between the ages of 8-13 in grades 1-4. Dir Biyabir collaborated with the organization EthioVillage, which introduced the Dir Biyabir team to the school and facilitated direct communication with the school principal. The principal submitted a detailed project proposal to expand the very limited school library by purchasing some much-needed books. This project met Dir Biyabir's goal of funding small and well thought-out projects in other regions of Ethiopia, while also providing a great opportunity to provide books to school children. A grant of $1,000 USD was provided to the school for the purchase of books for the library. The school principal has committed to extend library hours and ensure easy access to the books by students. Funds were wired in July 2010.
3. Entrepreneurship for Rural Youth
In Ethiopia as in most of Africa, there is a significant problem with rural youth migration to cities due to lack of educational or job opportunities in rural villages. These youth typically end up on the streets of cities, exposed to all the hazards of homelessness. Providing opportunities to these youth in their own villages is critical to ensure the stability of these rural communities. ADHENO has been advocating for youth and women entrepreneurship in Northern Shewa as a way helping these communities pull themselves out of poverty.
The goal of the entrepreneurship initiative is to provide the youth with training in specific skills such as making footwear, producing and repairing farm tools, weaving, horticulture, and improved beehives. The project will also assist the youth in starting their own businesses in their communities based on their newly acquired skills.
ADHENO has been working closely with the women and youth in the rural communities of Northern Shewa to foster entrepreneurship as a means for developing self-sufficiency and providing opportunities for women and youth in their own communities. A total of 770 men and women (335 in the women group, 435 in the youth group which includes men and women) have formally registered as an umbrella organization (Inat Mehaber) known as the Goshebado Tsigereda Yewetat Hibret Sira Mehaber (Goshebado Youth Coopertaive). Under this umbrella organization there are 14 sub-groups (Gilgel Mehaber), with each sub-group focused on a specific enterprise. They have been granted 37.5 hectares (about 93 acres) of land by the local administration for their activities. The youth were raised $3,000 ETB ($316 USD) based on monthly contribution of $0.50 ETB ($0.05 USD) of their members. The youth and women groups have been working with a local micro-enterprise office to develop business plans. However based on the very low income level of the area, it is clear that they are unable to raise the capital they need to fund their enterprises. Thus these groups rely on ADHENO for training and capital to implement their business plans. Business plans that have been developed thus far include bee-keeping, irrigation-based horticulture, raising chicken, and stone grinding for roadwork.
4. Support for women's enterprise in Addis Abeba
The Addis Ababa Region Ex-Leprosy Women's Work Group is a small local enterprise that creates and sells hand-made cotton textiles. It is located in Zenebwork, not far from the ALERT Leprosy Hospital in Addis Abeba. The group has an inspiring story. It employs survivors of leprosy and is run by Woizero Birkinesh, herself a survivor of leprosy. This work group has been in operation for more than 25 years, teaching skills and creating jobs for leprosy survivors in the community. They sell their products locally through retail outlets in Addis Abeba, and export them to foreign markets as well. They also supply other local manufacturers with textiles.
The project proposed by this enterprise and sponsored by Dir Biyabir involved the construction of a semi-covered work area for workers to protect them from the elements and improve their working conditions and productivity. The proposal requested 10,000 ETB ($880 USD) to build this covered work area and the funds were sent in full.
Dir Biyabir has been in constant communication with the contact person for this project to ensure that the work-area was constructed per the original project proposal. After some delay due to lack of required permits, construction of this work area has begun.
This project will address the issue of severe deforestation and environmental degradation in the Northern Shewa region of the central highlands of Ethiopia.
The purpose of the project is to engage rural youth (young men and women) in the environmental rehabilitation and biodiversity conservation of their homeland. Dir Biyabir developed grant applications for this project and in October 2008 won a grant of $24,500 USD from The Christensen Fund to fund this project in full. The project site is in Kasset in Northern Shewa and is based on ADHENO's award-winning Gudifetcha of Trees program in which local farmers and villagers participate by adopting a tree and being responsible for it's care and survival. The success of reforestation initiatives is highly dependant on the sustained care given to tree seedlings after they are planted. ADHENO's highly successful approach to reforestation leverages the Ethiopian tradition of "Gudifecha" (i.e. adoption of children) to foster a sense of caring and protection of tree seedlings among local farmers and villagers. Villagers are compensated for trees that survive and are thus able to earn some much needed income.
Based on the demonstrated success of Phase I of this project, in April 2010 The Christensen Fund awarded Dir Biyabir an additional $25,000 USD to fund Phase II of this project.
Project goals are:
a. Recovering the rich indigenous environmental bio-diversity of this severely at-risk region of the world.
b. Actively engage the local youth and keep them connected to their land and culture and provide them a viable option to fleeing to the cities.
c. Helping the fertility of the land to recover and allowing the continuation of a culture and livelihood that has been based on the land for centuries. Without active intervention, the area is at risk of complete desertification and abandonment.
d. Fostering a culture of environmental conservancy among the youth who are then most likely to pass it on to their families and lead the community in environmental stewardship. Such a culture of environmentalism is severely lacking in the region and is much needed.
e. Develop a local water source to make adequate water available for tree nursery, as well as for use by the local community.
Landscape of Moyi Kasset Kebele
Update August 2010
At the completion of Phase I of the project, the key accomplishments were as follows:- A biodiversity assessment and socio economic investigation identified valued and threatened tree species to be planted.
- A water spring was developed and facilities installed for safe and adequate water supply.
Left- water reservoir at the time of water quality assessment by the woreda expert; Center- water point for human consumption; Left- cattle trough
- Five different tree nurseries, each with the capacity of producing three thousand bare-root tree seedlings each year were strengthened.
- Over 84 thousand tree seedlings raised, distributed, and planted in area closures, homesteads, farm boundaries and school compounds.
- One area closure delineated and protected from human and animal interference.
- Employment created for three people on contractual basis and for 40 others who are employed as seasonal workers at the tree nursery stations.
- Soil erosion mitigated via reforestation and physical conservation measures.
- Local need for fuel wood and construction material addressed by planting fast growing trees like Eucalyptus and Gravilia robusta. This ensures that indigenous trees are not cut for consumption.
- Burden on women and children greatly eased by reducing physical and time requirement for collecting fuel wood and fetching water.
- Project sustainability ensured by involving local community in all phases of the project, thus equipping them with the necessary knowledge and techniques to manage and maintain the project.
Seedling distribution and transport from central nursery
Phase II of the project will expand and further reinforce what was initiated in the first phase. Key goals include:
- Planting economic and indigenous trees
- Watershed management (intensive soil and water conservation structures)
- Establishing area closures and strengthen the established closures for regenerating the natural vegetation cover
- Promoting agro forestry and small scale irrigation
- Introducing energy saving stoves to the community
- Biodiversity conservation of the endemic plant species by establishing ethno-botanical garden
- Introducing modern beehives
- Capacity building
2. Books for "School for Humanity", Shashemene
The organization Schools for Humanity has established a primary school in Shashemene, Ethiopia. The school serves 278 students between the ages of 8-13 in grades 1-4. Dir Biyabir collaborated with the organization EthioVillage, which introduced the Dir Biyabir team to the school and facilitated direct communication with the school principal. The principal submitted a detailed project proposal to expand the very limited school library by purchasing some much-needed books. This project met Dir Biyabir's goal of funding small and well thought-out projects in other regions of Ethiopia, while also providing a great opportunity to provide books to school children. A grant of $1,000 USD was provided to the school for the purchase of books for the library. The school principal has committed to extend library hours and ensure easy access to the books by students. Funds were wired in July 2010.
3. Entrepreneurship for Rural Youth
In Ethiopia as in most of Africa, there is a significant problem with rural youth migration to cities due to lack of educational or job opportunities in rural villages. These youth typically end up on the streets of cities, exposed to all the hazards of homelessness. Providing opportunities to these youth in their own villages is critical to ensure the stability of these rural communities. ADHENO has been advocating for youth and women entrepreneurship in Northern Shewa as a way helping these communities pull themselves out of poverty.
The goal of the entrepreneurship initiative is to provide the youth with training in specific skills such as making footwear, producing and repairing farm tools, weaving, horticulture, and improved beehives. The project will also assist the youth in starting their own businesses in their communities based on their newly acquired skills.
ADHENO has been working closely with the women and youth in the rural communities of Northern Shewa to foster entrepreneurship as a means for developing self-sufficiency and providing opportunities for women and youth in their own communities. A total of 770 men and women (335 in the women group, 435 in the youth group which includes men and women) have formally registered as an umbrella organization (Inat Mehaber) known as the Goshebado Tsigereda Yewetat Hibret Sira Mehaber (Goshebado Youth Coopertaive). Under this umbrella organization there are 14 sub-groups (Gilgel Mehaber), with each sub-group focused on a specific enterprise. They have been granted 37.5 hectares (about 93 acres) of land by the local administration for their activities. The youth were raised $3,000 ETB ($316 USD) based on monthly contribution of $0.50 ETB ($0.05 USD) of their members. The youth and women groups have been working with a local micro-enterprise office to develop business plans. However based on the very low income level of the area, it is clear that they are unable to raise the capital they need to fund their enterprises. Thus these groups rely on ADHENO for training and capital to implement their business plans. Business plans that have been developed thus far include bee-keeping, irrigation-based horticulture, raising chicken, and stone grinding for roadwork.
a. Poultry Rearing Project
Initially conceived as a school breakfast program, the poultry project was considered as a more affordable and sustainable way to address part of the nutrition problem. In addition to supplementing nutrition among children, it is also a means of providing them with some practical business skills. The overall aim of the project is to enable young students to begin to be self sufficient and reliable with regard to satisfying their daily food requirement. The immediate objectives are to create skills for young students on off-farm agricultural activities of poultry farming and to provide financial capital for execution of the project. This is a pilot project that initially focuses on a selected number of students from the Workegur Primary School.
Dir Biyabir wired $850USD for the pilot project.
This has already been a very promising project with important lessons learned. At the end of the 1-year project date close to 90% of the chicken were alive and all of the students had chicks that were laying eggs. The chicken started laying eggs at 5 months of age and the girls have been able to generate supplementary income selling them. Next step is to teach the girls to strike a balance between selling and consuming the eggs themselves to improve their nutrition. Additional educational/training sessions are planned.
Based on the success of the pilot project, Dir Biyabir is planning on funding an extension of this project to an additional 60 students. The proposal for the extension of this project has already been reviewed and approved.
Initially conceived as a school breakfast program, the poultry project was considered as a more affordable and sustainable way to address part of the nutrition problem. In addition to supplementing nutrition among children, it is also a means of providing them with some practical business skills. The overall aim of the project is to enable young students to begin to be self sufficient and reliable with regard to satisfying their daily food requirement. The immediate objectives are to create skills for young students on off-farm agricultural activities of poultry farming and to provide financial capital for execution of the project. This is a pilot project that initially focuses on a selected number of students from the Workegur Primary School.
Dir Biyabir wired $850USD for the pilot project.
Update August 2010
Thirty girls were given training on poultry rearing and management and each received three 3-month old chicks and some initial commercial feed. Among the chicks that each girl received was a male chick so that they could continue to breed and raise a larger flock.This has already been a very promising project with important lessons learned. At the end of the 1-year project date close to 90% of the chicken were alive and all of the students had chicks that were laying eggs. The chicken started laying eggs at 5 months of age and the girls have been able to generate supplementary income selling them. Next step is to teach the girls to strike a balance between selling and consuming the eggs themselves to improve their nutrition. Additional educational/training sessions are planned.
Based on the success of the pilot project, Dir Biyabir is planning on funding an extension of this project to an additional 60 students. The proposal for the extension of this project has already been reviewed and approved.
Girls with their chicken (left), 4-month old chicken (center); traditional chicken rearing (right)
4. Support for women's enterprise in Addis Abeba
The Addis Ababa Region Ex-Leprosy Women's Work Group is a small local enterprise that creates and sells hand-made cotton textiles. It is located in Zenebwork, not far from the ALERT Leprosy Hospital in Addis Abeba. The group has an inspiring story. It employs survivors of leprosy and is run by Woizero Birkinesh, herself a survivor of leprosy. This work group has been in operation for more than 25 years, teaching skills and creating jobs for leprosy survivors in the community. They sell their products locally through retail outlets in Addis Abeba, and export them to foreign markets as well. They also supply other local manufacturers with textiles.
The project proposed by this enterprise and sponsored by Dir Biyabir involved the construction of a semi-covered work area for workers to protect them from the elements and improve their working conditions and productivity. The proposal requested 10,000 ETB ($880 USD) to build this covered work area and the funds were sent in full.
Update August 2010
In 2009, the enterprise faced an urgent need for direct material (cotton) to avoid laying-off some women, and they decided to use the funds to purchase cotton and keep the women employed.Dir Biyabir has been in constant communication with the contact person for this project to ensure that the work-area was constructed per the original project proposal. After some delay due to lack of required permits, construction of this work area has begun.