BY MENGISTEAB TESHOME
Volunteering has never been more important than it is today. With the spate of various occurrences in which the number of people affected by the incidents is escalating; and humanitarian crises are growing constantly, addressing social challenges through the active participation of volunteers is one technique that offers people the opportunity to be part of the solution to local needs.
With all its blessings, volunteering is not only important in meeting humans’ needs, fostering citizens’ participation and promoting people-centered development. It could also contribute to build entrepreneurial capacity, promote social capital, institutional development and participation in community overall development.
Cognizant of its wide-ranging benefits, Ethiopia is also working persistently to firmly embed the culture of volunteerism among the young people and benefiting the community at large. Recently, it has officially launched this year’s summer volunteerism program.
Launching the program, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister Demeke Mekonnen noted that volunteerism is a humanitarian, borderless activity; and it is a deep-rooted culture in Ethiopia. Especially in the face of man-made and natural disasters, including COVID-19 pandemic and the current global situation, voluntarism plays an important role to alleviate the economic pressures the country has confronted now, he added.
The youths should support government’s efforts that it is exerting to curb the conspiracy of internal and external entities to defend country’s national interest through involving various volunteering services.
Appreciating the young people for the interest they have demonstrated in taking part in voluntary services, Demeke urged the youth to be ambassadors of diligence, peace and well-being wherever they are deployed. He also called on the public to support the youths who are participating in the program in every possible way. Finally, the Minister wished volunteers a successful stay and hand over the Ethiopian flag to their representatives.
Including Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Demeke Mekonnen, and high government officials, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to reaffirm their commitment to the success of the national volunteer service.
At this year’s summer volunteerism program some 19 million youth will participate in twelve areas in which more than 40 million people are expected to benefit. From the activities carried out by the volunteering services, it is planned to secure more than 11 billion birr, it was learnt.
This year’s summer voluntary service is carried out under the motto ‘Virtuous Acts to Uplift Ethiopia.’ It has been several years now since the government of Ethiopia embarked upon promoting voluntarism across the country. As part of this inventiveness, Green Legacy Initiative is one activity carried out annually during the summer season with the aim to curbing the effects of climate change and deforestation in the country, as well as contribute share to activities carried out globally to reduce global warming.
While talking in relation to the initiative Prime Minister Office Press Secretary, Billene Seyoum, said that Green Legacy Initiative has been initiated in 2019 by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed to address various environmental challenges by promoting a green culture. The plan was to plant 20 billion trees across the country over four years. However, she noted the initiative is to surpass its goal of planting 20 billion tree seedlings in this rainy season.
Accordingly, 4 billion seedlings were planted in 2019, including the infamous record-breaking 353 million seedlings in one day, while in 2020, 5 billion seedlings were planted. In 2021, over 6 billion trees have also been planted.
During this rainy season, the implementation of the initiative will be completed. “This year, we mark the final year of the four year green legacy challenge which was embarked upon in 2019,” she said. According to her, over the past three years, 18 billion seedlings have already been planted across the country.
According to her, this initiative in tandem with urban agriculture and backyard agriculture efforts are being promoted in an effort to partially address food security needs to address globally rising food cost as well
The Ethiopian Herald July 2/2022
