
Ethiopia: Resilience & Nutrition Security
Up to 80% of the population of Ethiopia lives in rural areas where they are dependent on their own crops. Their agricultural technology and methods are old fashioned and, in addition, natural resources in Ethiopia have been exhausted due to rapid population growth.
These conditions are not sustainable for the long term, as they are accompanied by many additional problems such as water and wind erosion, soil depletion, reduction of agricultural production, and leaching of the most fertile soil. In the Livelihoods and Food Security programmes in Ethiopia, People in Need focuses on sustainable management of natural resources and agricultural education.
This means that we provide technical and professional support for agricultural education centres where they introduce efficient farming practices. For example, increasing diversification of crops which should result in new and more resistant strains that provide food for humans and livestock throughout the year.
Other projects help poor Ethiopians to find alternative sources of livelihood and expand their income. People in Need supports women's cooperatives, farmers and small craftsmen by providing them with materials and training, so that they can put the knowledge gained to effective use.
Ongoing aidORPast aid programmes

Improving health, hygiene and sanitation in the Hawassa Zuriya woreda, Sidama region, Ethiopia
People in Need has been implementing WASH, health and nutrition projects in the Sidama region (formerly SNNPR) for more than 15 years. As a result, PIN has extensive experience with a wide range of approaches and methods such as Sanitation Marketing, school WASH clubs and community health clubs. The aim of the project is to improve the hygiene and eating habits of all members of households. The project will contribute to improving the health system and sanitation facilities of health facilities and schools, among others through strengthening cooperation between relevant institutions and increasing their capacities. The project activities also include an awareness raising campaign to improve the hygiene and nutrition of the communities. The objective of the community activities is mainly to prevent infectious diseases and malnutrition, which contributes to the overall improvement of the health of the target population in Hawassa Zuriya, Sidama region, Ethiopia.

Establishment of a sustainable water system in selected kebeles of Bura, Dale and Bona Zuria Woredas
The aim of the ongoing project is to ensure universal and equal access to safe and affordable drinking water for all inhabitants of selected kebeles in the newly declared region of Sidama in southern Ethiopia. In addition to building new water supply systems, the project will also focus on their sustainability, through capacity building of operators, managers and support organizations. An integral part of the project will also be the assistance in setting up a tariff system that will allow access to affordable water for all members of target communities. Moreover, the project team will conduct the community awareness raising campaign regarding safe transport, water handling and storage, as this is the only way to ensure that water from the newly constructed supply systems is truly safe for its consumers.
The ongoing project represents a unique cooperation between the non-profit and private sector, where People in Need cooperates with the private company Ircon s.r.o., which is responsible for professional construction work, while the project team of People in Need provides community outreach and educational activities.

Support of Selected Town Water Utilities in Sustainable Water Scheme Management
People in Need has extensive experience in projects dealing with sanitation, hygiene and access to safe water in Ethiopia. The aim of the project is to strengthen the capacities of selected town water utilities so that they are able to operate on market principles and thus ensure the uninterrupted supply of drinking water. The main outputs of the project is training of TWU employees and material support that will strengthen the management of municipal water systems.


Sustained Diet Quality Improvement by Fortification with Climate-smart, Nutrition-Smart Orange-fleshed Sweetpotato
Sweetpotato is a cheap, nutritious solution for developing countries needing to grow more food on less land for rapidly multiplying populations. The orange-fleshed varieties of sweetpotato is easy to grow and suitable for climate conditions in Ethiopia, but it also can play a key role in alleviating vitamin A deficiency, which is rampant among children in Ethiopia (40%). Vitamin A Deficiency (VAD) increases the risk of disease and death from infections as well as causing blindness. Just 125 grams of OFSP meets the daily vitamin A needs of a young child. The objective of the action is therefore increased intake of vitamin A and improved food security of local farmers. Within the project, the local farmers will be trained in the field of sweet potato cultivation, the awareness raising campaign among local communities about the advantages of sweet potatoes’ cultivation and consummation will be held, the agricultural centres will be materially supported and the farmers will be linked to the local market.

Improving livelihoods and nutrition through better community services
The low and ineffective agricultural productivity is one of the most important aspects threatening livelihoods and food security of local farmer communities in the target region. Our goal is therefore to improve the living conditions of poor farmers through sustainable agricultural practices, better nutrition and development of economic activities. Therefore, we improve effectiveness of existing community services and their better access for farmers, introduce sustainable agricultural practices (conservation agriculture and nutrition sensitive agriculture), appropriate processing, storage and marketing of products and increase of diversification in agricultural production with a special focus on nutrient-dense crops. One of the important elements of improving nutrition is awareness about the nutritionally valuable crops. Therefore, we train farmers in new farming practices but also educate local communities to enrich their diet and improve diet for themselves and their families. We cooperate not only with local farmers, but also with experts and government partners, which helped to identify the main challenges and the most effective solutions.

Improvements in health, hygiene and sanitation in selected cities and villages of Sidama zone

Water Report
In Ethiopia, PIN uses the application in Alaba Special Wareda in SNNPR region. Alaba is known for very deep water table and only way to provide drinking water to the communities is via motorized deep boreholes. Such systems are technically and financially demanding. WaterReport serves the purpose of communication channel between water source committees (WASHCOs) and Wareda administration.
There are two types of reports. One, problem report is being sent in case of malfunction or breakdown of any part of the complex system. It enables wareda technicians to respond swiftly and reduce “down-time” of the source. Second type of reporting is a regular one; WASHCOs send administrative data on monthly basis such as water consumption and financial data. This makes the system transparent and enables Wareda administration to store received data in electronic version.
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Program for Improved Nutrition in Sidama and Gedeo Zones (IPIN)
Každý rok zemřou tři miliony dětí na problémy spojené s podvýživou v prvních 1000 dnech svého života.
Mnoho dalších je postiženo celoživotním následky – fyzickým či kognitivním poškozením vývoje, jež dále vedou k větším náchylnostem k nemocem, horším výsledkům ve škole a tím pádem i nižším výdělkům v dospělosti. I když se jejich výživa později zlepší, škody napáchané během tohoto období života se z drtivé části nedají napravit. Příčinám podvýživy přitom lze snadno předejít. K dětské úmrtnosti a chudobě ve světě totiž často přispívají špatné hygienické podmínky, málo pestrá strava, nedostatečné zdravotní služby či malá pozornost politiků a donátorů.
Projekt se zaměřuje na osvětu týkající se výživu kojenců (propagace kojení), hygienických návyků (například mytí rukou), ale i větší pestrost jídelníčku díky pěstování více druhů plodin. Velkou roli v projektu hrají vyškolení dobrovolníci, kteří osvětu mezi místním obyvatelstvem provádějí.

Ensuring Sustainable Access to the Drinking Water in Sidama Zone
Public is also involved in the project through meetings and trainings which provide the community members with information about good hygiene habits, especially those concerning proper handling and storage of drinking water.

Ensuring Sustainable Access to Drinking water
Additionally, the emphasis will be placed on water scheme management. Trainings are prepared for the staff of the local water associations to help them to operate the water system in a better way and to effectively respond to operational problems. As the major obstacle seems to be lengthy and often ineffective communication between the scheme operators and the water offices, who manage the repairs, there has been an electronic system for reporting malfunctions introduced in the area. Thanks to simple software, the officials are now able to address the problems reported by the scheme operator via a text message immediately.
The difference between this project and those of similar nature implemented in the area lies not only in the newly introduced e-reporting system but also in inclusion of the private sector in the project activities, local suppliers of spare parts in particular.

Creating Resilience in Emergency Prone Areas through Multi-Sectoral Approach
In the area of water and sanitation the main objective is to improve access to drinking water by building water infrastructure and increasing awareness of hygiene and sanitation practices in the communities, health-care centres and schools. All activities lead to building long-term resilience to crises and environmental upheaval as well as to diarrheal diseases caused by unsafe water consumption.
The main objective of the intervention lies in encouraging behavior change in the community through campaigns to promote hygiene practices, strengthen infrastructure (construction and rehabilitation of water schemes) and by increasing expert knowledge of the government officials. Improving access to sanitation is ensured by the construction of latrines at the key public institutions and demonstration latrines in public places. The emphasis is also placed on proper waste management at health-care centres.

Support of restoring livelihoods
PIN responded to the disaster by distributing herding animals to approximately 430 affected families (ten goats per family) and furthermore provided animal medical control and vaccination. It is assumed that 70 % of these assisted families will be able to gain better access to food produce or to sustain sales of reproduced herd.

Support of Agricultural Trade and Sustainable Management of Natural Resources
People in Need (PIN) has adopted a holistic approach to improve ecological stability of those affected by the floods. At the same time it has been strengthening the capacity of people responsible for their long-term protection. In close cooperation with local agricultural authorities, PIN provides support for community development agents and seeks to involve communities in the development and implementation of plans for sustainable management of the landscape. These practical plans – developed with technical specialization by relevant experts – outline long-term priorities and obligations for communities for effective watershed management. Areas which are affected by erosion the most are closed and protected by legislation on community level in order to prevent the territory against grazing. This allows thousands of new trees to grow in peace and to protect soil from erosion.
In order to reduce the need for fuelwood, PIN supports local communities in selling of stoves with low energy consumption. Within project, marketing strategies for promotion of stoves are being developed and links between sellers and buyers established. The project supports households in securing alternative sources of livelihood, such as beekeeping. In terms of management of natural resources, beekeeping is an additional activity of farmers, because in order to increase the yield of honey, the communities seek to secure enough bee forage, and thus contribute to protection and regeneration of vegetation.
In total, 3,115 people living in the surroundings of rehabilitation areas benefit from the project directly, together with local development workers, government officials and manufacturers, dealers and distributors of energy-saving stoves for cooking. The final number of beneficiaries gaining support from the project amounts to 30,814 people, all residents of 4 target kebeles of Shebedino district.

Long-term sustainable management of water sources
PIN are working with local authorities to repair the damaged wells and with technical departments of local governments to acquire equipment for routine repair of pumps. The program also includes an educational campaign to promote hygiene practices among residents, hoping that the campaign will reduce the risk of waterborne diseases and plagues, which are very common in the field.

Restoration of livelihoods
