Agriculture
Eighty percent of the inhabitants in the country lives in rural areas, and the vast majority are small farmers of minimal plots of land – often in areas with very little and uncertain rainfall. They have been farming the land since ancient times and it is still considered an important occupation. Owning land provides identity, belonging and status in a country with high unemployment.
Next to our village schools you will find agricultural projects. The aim with these projects is to give families valuable knowledge regarding farming their own land. We contribute with purchase of fruit trees and vegetables as corn, carrots, potatoes, onions, coffee, beetroots, avocado trees and mango trees etc. and the land is taken care of by the villagers. Occasionally there will be food shortages in the country and the projects will serve as a great help even during these periods, since agriculture often is the only way to provide for some level of food security. Another aim with these projects is that in the long run, agriculture should be able to provide wages and work opportunities for the villagers.
Miriam, who received knowledge through the agricultural project, says: I very carefully save and dry seeds, in order to sow new plants next year. Now we learn how to get the best harvest.
The students attending schools learn about agriculture and the villagers receive new and valuable knowledge through the agronomists connected to the projects. The aim is to give individual villagers and families the possibility to become self-sufficient and for the students in the villages schools to receive food. The agricultural projects contributes to the UN's global goals for sustainable development.
Community development
Community development is a part of our work and the collaboration with the local municipal management is of great importance. In order to be able to conduct school activities, it needs to be ensured that there are accessible roads to the schools. Because of this, we contribute to improving roads, when the opportunity exists. We also contribute to maintenance of school buildings, classrooms and toilettes at the village schools we run. Ethiopia periodically goes through extra difficulties due to drought and poor growth and the consequence of this is often diseases, malnutrition and in some cases death. Mobile water tanks are set up as an extra help during the dry periods, since access to clean water is crucial to survive.
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