Community philanthropy in Ethiopia is characterized by solidarity and reciprocity, mirroring customs seen in other African countries. These practices are evident in all Giving for Change (GfC) project areas and throughout the country. For instance, non-formal groups like “Edirs” come together in times of mourning to assist the family of the deceased by providing funeral services, support, and food. This assistance is reciprocated among members in similar circumstances, reflecting a culture of mutual support.
Similarly, women participating in Self Help Groups pool their resources, often in the form of savings, to start entrepreneurial ventures or contribute to members’ welfare initiatives. These savings are rotated among members to address individual needs, demonstrating a shared commitment to solidarity and reciprocity.
After the facilitation of the establishment of Communities of Practice (CoPs) by the Development Expertise Center (DEC) and GfC consortium members, along with training in rights-based advocacy, Local Fundraising (LFR), Mobilizing Support (MS), and life skills for effective lobbying using CtGA tools, CoP members leveraged their LFR and MS knowledge to kickstart community philanthropic initiatives. LFR acts as a catalyst for philanthropic endeavors, with community members contributing to causes they deem significant, deriving emotional fulfillment from their acts of giving. CoPs play a crucial role in identifying and communicating the community’s most pressing needs, prompting collaboration to resolve these challenges.
Currently, community-driven philanthropic efforts sparked by LFR techniques are affected by political unrest, economic instability, and inflation, which challenge repeated giving due to economic constraints. Despite these challenges, proactive institutions are extending support to CoPs, aiding them in fulfilling their corporate social responsibilities and fostering community well-being.
Several CoPs have been established across Ethiopia to tackle various community challenges. Here are some of the notable CoPs:
Holeta CoP Amplifies School Girls’ Voices
Following meticulous planning and dedicated efforts, the Burka Gelana Community of Practice (CoP) completed a project within three months that provided school girls with improved facilities and a safer environment. The community recognizes the impactful contribution of the Burka Gelana CoP in addressing crucial issues by advocating, mobilizing resources, and executing a transformative project for the school community and Holeta town.
Burka Harbu, a prominent school in Holeta town, faced financial constraints in constructing essential facilities like classrooms and pit latrines for female students. This impacted students’ well-being, potentially leading to girls dropping out and experiencing gender-based violence. Recognizing these issues, the Burka Gelana CoP engaged with affiliated CSAs to address them in 2023. Through strategic planning and advocacy, the CoP mobilized local resources and received support from external organizations, securing a matching fund grant from DEC (4,500 EURO) and raising 350,000 ETB (5,300 EURO) locally. This enabled the renovation of classrooms and the construction of separate latrines for female students.
Empowering Persons with Disability
The Tesfa Persons with Disability (PwD) Association is one of the founding members of the Holeta town’s CoP called Burka Gelana CoP. The PwD Association was founded in 2017 with a primary goal of advocating for the rights and welfare of its members who were facing financial hardships and societal neglect. Many members lacked income-generating opportunities, leading to a reliance on begging for survival and a life marred by stigma and dependency. The situation called for urgent intervention to uplift the lives of these segments of the community.
Burka Gelana CoP was established by 18 different constituting members of CSAs in 2021 in Holeta town. The CoP took the initiative to address the challenges faced by PwDs and community at large with the notion no one left behind. To achieve these, the CoP engaged with organizations like DEC, CEHRO, and CoSAP, who are providing them with comprehensive training in advocacy, human rights-based approaches, LFR, and MS. The CoP’s primary goal was to amplify the voices of marginalized groups in the community, including persons with disabilities tirelessly.
Recognizing the pressing needs of the Tesfa PwD Association, Burka Gelana CoP established partnership with the Ethiopian Center for Disability and Development (ECDD) and key government departments such as District labor and social affairs, and job creation in Holeta town as part of leveraging resources for this vulnerable group. Through collaborative effort with ECDD committed to creating employment opportunities for 60 PwD members. These individuals underwent vocational training in various fields such as poultry farming, sheep fattening, hairdressing, tailoring, and metalworking. The training was provided based on the interests or needs of PwDs.
Upon completing the training, the organization provided PwDs with the necessary tools and support to kick start their businesses. The initial outcomes were promising, with the sheep fattening group already generating profits and the writing & printing group actively involved in their business ventures. The successful implementation of these initiatives brought immense joy to the PwD and the association, symbolizing a significant step towards independence and self-sustainability.
The members of the Tesfa PWD Association expressed their gratitude to DEC, CoSAP, CEHRO ECDD, and the government for their support in enhancing their skills, providing resources for income generation, and facilitating their integration into the workforce. This transformative endeavor not only empowered the PwD community but also highlighted the importance of collaborative efforts in creating inclusive opportunities for all segments of the community through the GfC project.
Conducive Environment for Youth
In Addele Miecha kebele, situated in the Liben Chukala District of the East Shoa Zone in the Oromia Region, a pressing issue was identified by the Community of Practice (CoP) regarding the absence of a community library. It was observed that the youths, students, and residents of the kebele were facing challenges due to the lack of a library facility, leading to youth vulnerabilities to substance abuse, shortage of reference materials for students, and little place for spare time.
Following training sessions provided to CoP representatives and its youth groups in the locality, efforts were initiated to address this issue by engaging with the district administration and education office. Despite multiple attempts to resolve the problem through dialogues, the desired response was not forthcoming from the education office. Drawing on the knowledge and skills acquired from DEC/ GfC partners, the CoP and its members embarked on an advocacy campaign while seeking resources to establish a community library.
Subsequently, discussions were held with a local religious institution, particularly the Protestant Church (Mekane Yesus) operating in the district. The community representatives also expressed their willingness to support voluntarily, financially, and through contributions in kind, to realize the construction of a library and provision of reference books. Recognizing the urgent need, the religious institution committed to funding the construction of the library at a significant cost exceeding 750,000 birr, along with the acquisition of 471 reference books amounting to over 57,000 birr.
Through collective mobilization of resources, including material donations and financial contributions, the CoP successfully constructed and equipped the library with necessary tools, furniture, and books, making it accessible to the youth and residents of the area. The positive impact of this initiative was evident as the community members and youths expressed their gratitude towards the institutions and the committed efforts of the CoP/CSAs representatives. The library now operational, the local youth have found a productive outlet for their time, engaging in reading activities and fostering a culture of literacy, effectively reducing their vulnerability to harmful addictions and empowering them through knowledge and education is cultivating future development.