World Vision Ethiopia holds National Livelihood and Nutrition Summit
World Vision Ethiopia conducted a national level livelihood and nutrition summit that has brought together government officials, model farmers, community members, and other stakeholders from across Ethiopia on 27 July 2018 in Hawassa.
The summit was aimed at recognizing farmers who become successful through working with World Vision and applying integrated development models as well as celebrate its achievements that have so far registered through working with the government, the community, and partners.
In his keynote speech Nutrition Adviser with the Ministry of Agriculture Dr. Kebede Abegaz said “The good works of World Vision in Ethiopia has been shining since the early 1970s. Its integrated development efforts particularly in agriculture, food security, and nutrition are bearing fruit while transforming the lives and livelihoods of thousands of Ethiopians.”
World Vision Ethiopia’s Livelihood and Nutrition programme has established 3,847 saving groups across Ethiopia embracing 75,499 rural farmers with high engagement of women and people with disabilities. This resulted in the creation of asset valued 29,813,717 birr and disbursement of 12,167,360 birr in loan.
The Saving for Transformation programme has opened opportunity for over 168,000 children cared for, have nutritious diet, and educated.
Desta Tisso, 35, a person with disability, speaking on the summit.
“Once I was hopeless and neglected person in my community. Since I joined the village saving group; my life and livelihood has seen tremendous change. The loan service paved the way for me to engage in petty trade while enabling me feed my children nutritious food and educate them. I constructed iron corrugated house. Now I am visionary and respected person,” says 35 year old Desta Tisso, a person with disability from Durame District.
“On average members return on asset is 10 percent.” This is extraordinary said Edward Brown, National Director of World Vision Ethiopia.
Saving for Transformation is successful to the rural community due to its simplicity and accessibility to the poorest and most vulnerable people as it creates a platform for the community to gather regularly to solve their problems by themselves.
“It is a joy to see children have nutritious food and educated, women empowered, families and society transformed. Our joint efforts are bearing fruit thanks to our donors, the government, and the community at large,” Mr. Edward said in his concluding remark.