Mission

Our VisionOur vision is a world where social organisation is arranged by partnership, where self-determination enhances the potential for co-operation and there is a more equitable distribution of resources in order to eradicate poverty and to develop the capabilities of disadvantaged communities.We look forward to a time when equality and justice prevail, human dignity is preserved, diversity is celebrated and discrimination is eradicated, and when there is a deeper and more compassionate understanding of the position of disadvantaged people in a global society.   Our MissionIDP is transforming the lives of disadvantaged communities in Ethiopia by providing access to the basic services necessary to sustain life - such as affordable health care, a clean and reliable water supply, hygienic sanitation facilities, adequate nutrition and a basic level of education. IDP is committed to the empowerment and support of local initiatives and our efforts are focused on relieving the underlying causes of poverty, suffering and distress by working in partnership with indigenous organisations to strengthen existing institutional capacity.  We believe that support to local organisations, and the empowerment of local people, is crucial in bringing about effective and lasting change.

Category

Poverty Alleviation

Additional Information

Health IDP is working to improve access to health-care for isolated, rural communities in Ethiopia, where medical facilities are in a shocking state of disrepair and there is an urgent need for basic yet up-to-date equipment.  In co-operation with existing health authorities, IDP works to improve access to essential medical equipment and drugs, and provide training to health professionals.  We provide redundant but serviceable equipment from UK hospitals to re-equip run-down hospitals and health centres in remote parts of the country.  By doing this we increase the capacity of local hospitals and health centres to respond to an acute need for medical services. In particular, we: rehabilitate rural health centres and hospitals to provide better access to health care for families in need; collect redundant medical equipment from hospitals in the UK for distribution to rural health centres and hospitals in Ethiopia; encourage collaborative links between medical professionals in Ethiopia and their counterparts in the UK. Education IDP works to improve literacy and general levels of education in rural areas of Ethiopia.  We do this by: providing rural schools with classroom furniture and essential writing materials from the UK, rehabilitating and improving existing classrooms, providing clean water and sanitation facilities and supplying much needed books, equipment and supplies. Water and Sanitation Water and sanitation are at the heart of our work to help people climb out of poverty and IDP is working among four Woredas (districts) at Debark, Adi Arkay, Beyeda and Janamora in the North Gonder Zone of Amhara Region, northern Ethiopia. Here, our project aims to solve water shortage and water purity problems by: providing safe drinking water, improving sanitation, combating widespread illness and helping to eradicate communicable diseases caused by water-borne parasites and infections. Ethiopia has the second largest population in Africa, with nearly 80 million people, yet it has some of Africa's lowest figures for access to safe water and improved sanitation facilities.  The average Ethiopian survives on just 15 litres of water for all their daily needs - compared with up to 150 litres a day in the UK.  Only a third of people in Ethiopia use latrines. Not only are coverage levels low, water quality is also a major problem.  As a result, the people of Ethiopia are vulnerable to infectious diseases and their productivity is greatly reduced, with frequent outbreaks of water-related epidemics in both rural and urban areas. Even by Sub-Saharan African standards, this is a very low supply and coverage level.  Seventy to eighty percent of diseases in Ethiopia are preventable.  In rural areas, the incidence of water-related disease is high and is worsened by the lack of both clean and adequate water supply. Agriculture In partnership with rural communities IDP works to implement projects in pasture regeneration, agricultural development and the provision of veterinary services. We support local farmers in their efforts to improve agricultural production by: providing vegetable seeds and basic, modern agricultural tools, promoting the use of organic fertiliser, encouraging rainwater harvesting and introducing small-scale irrigation systems by providing simple pumps and hoses in those areas with access to ground water. “The productivity of Ethiopian agriculture is among the lowest in the world - around 1.2 tons per hectare.” (World Bank).  Most Ethiopians are ‘sub-subsistence' farmers and more than eight out of ten Ethiopians depend on agriculture as their main livelihood. Agriculture is the core of the Ethiopian economy.  It accounts for about 40 per cent of GDP, provides approximately 70 per cent of raw material required by the industrial sector, generates 90 per cent of export earnings and accounts for 85 per cent of employment. However, Ethiopian farmers do not produce enough food to meet consumption requirements and Ethiopia remains the world's most food aid dependent country.  Even in a year of record harvest, 42% of Ethiopians consumed less than the recommended daily allowance of 2,200 kcal.  In one of the world's poorest countries, where about 44 per cent of the population lives under the poverty line, more than 12 million people are chronically or at least periodically food insecure.  Most of them live in rural areas. Ethiopian agriculture is dominated by a subsistence, low input-low output, rain-fed farming system.  It is plagued by periodic drought, soil degradation caused by inappropriate agricultural practices and overgrazing, deforestation, high population density, undeveloped water resources and poor transport infrastructure, making it difficult and expensive to get goods to market. Environment In our work we support reforestation, natural resource conservation and sustainable agriculture to reverse the environmental degradation and to provide rural people with food, fuel-wood and fodder.  In particular, our work involves: Reforestation selecting indigenous tree species for reforestation projects and identifying tree planting sites, encouraging rural communities in our project areas to plant trees around their homes, on their farms and on community lands by providing tree seedlings, natural fertilizers and simple farm equipment, propagating indigenous tree seedlings every year to help conserve the soil, reduce groundwater depletion and reverse the adverse effects of eucalyptus trees.  Development of indigenous trees has been supported by research conducted within the Science Faculty of the Addis Ababa University. Establishing a community tree nursery of indigenous species which will be transplanted to some of the most unstable and erosion-prone areas of northern Ethiopia.  The nursery, which will be managed by the local community, has a target of 10,000 trees annually.  Once this initial site is productive, similar schemes will be established in other areas, Soil conservation and reclamation developing a worm breeding programme, or wormery, which over time will feed on a wide variety of food and agricultural waste, producing high quality compost to replace depleted nutrients in the soil, encouraging small-scale irrigation by providing simple pumps and hoses in those areas with access to ground water. moving towards conducting trials of drought-resistant grasses and legumes which will be used to combat desertification by reclaiming some of the most degraded and vulnerable land.  This consists of small strip plots (up to 100mtrs X 10mtrs) in suitable locations alongside water courses and low-lying catchment areas.  These will be seeded and fertilized with appropriate hardy species (cenchrus and stylosanthes varieties) which will stabilize the soil while providing nutritious forage for livestock.  Initially, the plots are fenced to prevent early over-grazing until such time as the crop is well established.  Further plots will then be prepared, eventually providing comprehensive coverage. Training and employment In all our work on the environment and in agriculture, we will offer training, advice and technical support to local farmers.  We will provide support for tree planting, the conservation of natural resources and sustainable agriculture by giving incentives, such as, tree seedlings, improved seeds, fertilizers and simple farm equipment. Our nurseries, wormeries and tree planting initiatives will help rural communities to lift themselves out of poverty by providing training and employment opportunities for local families. Heritage Our Heritage Project has the three-fold objective of (1), protecting Ethiopia's unique, historic artefacts and the oral histories of communities and individuals; (2), promoting Ethiopian arts and architecture and (3), spurring the sustainable development of local crafts.  Poverty alleviation is a specific focus in each of these elements. Our objectives are: to encourage the documentation and safe storage of artefacts which we do by providing training and advice, and providing appropriate facilities, recording the oral histories of people and communities, especially those who have lived through some of the events which mark Ethiopia's turbulent past, to raise awareness of artistic endeavour by documenting and, where feasible, publishing the work of painters, musicians, poets and authors, and to bring the work of local craftspeople to a suitable market in northern towns and in the capital, Addis Abeba. In the north of Ethiopia, the country's historic artefacts - including imperial regalia, historical documents, manuscripts, icons and ecclesiastical vestments - are under the guardianship of isolated monasteries and churches.  Unsupported by the hierarchy, the monks and priests are left to fend for themselves where, unequipped to cultivate their own food or earn an income, many are destitute and must depend on the generosity of the desperately poor communities they serve. Of the artisanal crafts development component, we recognise the idea that culture and sustainable development are closely linked and that cultural heritage can be a theme of job creation and development.  Craftspeople traditionally are among the poorest groups in Ethiopia, and this specific activity will increase incomes and reduce poverty in this group. Most importantly we aim to build capacity, among communities and individuals, to prevent the loss of cultural heritage assets with better protection and the identification of threats, through the development of better information about the extent and condition of these items.  Also, to coordinate institutional efforts for cultural heritage management within communities, between central, regional and zonal authorities, and with other institutions such as the Orthodox Church and appropriate heritage institutions in the UK.