Voluntary organizations play a crucial role in the socio-economic development of a country. In Ethiopia, there are numerous non-governmental and nonprofit development organizations. Many are aiming at helping and providing support for the holistic life enhancement of the people living under poverty and vulnerable to various natural and man-made disasters. The Ethiopian Catholic Church’s Social and Development Commission (ECCSD) is one of these organizations.
So far, the Commission has been working for the socio-economic progress of the impoverished society nationwide. Along with the federal and local governments, the Commission has played its part in helping the lives of the destitute people in the country.
Bekele Mogose, General Director at ECCSD told The Ethiopian Herald that ECCSD has provided various social and development assistance for over five million people in education, health, environment protection and construction of temporary camps for displaced citizens in Oromia, Somali and SNNP, which accounted 32 percent of the allocated budget.
The Commission has also provided 50,103 metric ton of food for communities who are exposed to food shortages in the 2018 budget year. The overall budget for these activities was more than 1.3 billion in the 2018 fiscal year.
The Director noted that ECCSD has registered remarkable success in ensuring health, food security, pure water supply, sanitation and climate protection in different parts of the country.
ECCSD has been working with the government in creating job opportunities for women and the youth including those in refugee camps.
As to him, the Commission has 85 health and 427 education institutions across the country. The centers have been working to ensure the public health and reducing the illiteracy rate in the country.
In this budget year, more than two billion Birr has been allocated to support the vulnerable communities’ across the country, he said.
The director further said that in the year 2019, ECCSD has set to operate 199 projects at all branches to improve the life of the vulnerable people including refugees.
He also added that the projects have mainly focused on communities who are living in the rural part of the country, and the beneficiaries are more than 4.9 million citizens. Of these, 2,748, 873 are women.
Health service takes 24.6 percent of the total budget and it will be expected to benefit more than three million people.
And 34 projects focused on food security which is estimated to benefit 559,022 people. The remaining projects set to provide and ensure socio-economic development of women, the youths, displaced peoples and disadvantaged one, he noted.
Sheferawu Mamo, Program Manager, said that all the projects will be applied following a feasibility study. For this to happen, the Commission is working together with local officials and the public.
He also added that the Commission has been working towards creating job opportunities for the youths thereby reduce migration.
Habte W/Selassie, Kaffa Zone Finance and Economic Development Charities and Societies Desk said that ECCSD has been playing vital roles in Kaffa Zone in improving the lives of the impoverished people in education, agriculture, and health.
He also added that the budget allocated by the ECCSD has been limited to satisfy the demand of the public. However, ECCSD plays an irreplaceable role in economic development in the community.
Fetsum Dagamo, Borana Zone NGO Affairs Unit Coordinator said that ECCSD has been started the project in Borana and played a significant role in improving the living standard of the community in line with The Growth and Transformation Plan.
He also said the project has been facing shortcomings related to logistics, human resource and project overlap during implementation. If ECCSD solves such limitations it can advance and play a leading role in ensuring the socio-economic life of the society.
He also added that ECCSD could be a model for other development institutions in enhancing the livelihood of the destitute people and contributing to the national economic development at the grassroots level.
The Ethiopian Herald May 2/2019
BY MULATU BELACHEW
