ADDIS ABABA- The Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs (MOLSA) said it has been providing technical and financial assistance to replicate best practices of social institutions.
Getahun Abdissa, State Minister told The Ethiopian Herald that social institutions such as Idirs have been playing a decisive role in addressing societal problems at the grass root level.These days, social institutions are engaged in providing social services focusing on children, girls, and women.
“They are dedicated to helping vulnerable members of society who are living in difficult circumstances by offering training for their caretakers,” he said. “They are also providing social services related to environment cleansing, income- generating activities, and the likes in their respective environments.”
The State Minister also said that as they are close to society, these institutions have the capacity to identify and coordinate the poor members of society who needs urgent assistance. As a result, they are capable of providing support in a sustainable manner.
These institutions are also creating a demanding society who participates in every social sphere including peacekeeping activities. In order for the society be an active participant in all respects, Idirs are now playing an indispensable role.
In today’s Ethiopia, without giving up their traditional primary goals, Idirs are becoming important social institutions that solve community problems by strengthening their capacity through engaging in income generating activities and allocating revolving fund to assist the poorest segment of the society, he stated.
So far, few of them have been registering tangible changes in improving the lives of women and girls, said the minister.Those who are engaged in income generating activities change their lifestyle and help others who are in difficult circumstances. In, addition, they are performing an encouraging task of reintegrating marginalized groups into society.
Indicating that there are 35,000 social institutions nationwide, Getahun said efforts have been undertaken to utilize Idirs for societal developments. “We are planning to replicate these experiences nationwide.”
The state minister also appreciated the effort exerted by Joint Efforts Community Development organization (JECDO) to provide technical and financial assistance for over 142 social institutions based in Oromia, Amhara, and SNNP states and two city administrations that of Dire Dawa, Addis Ababa.
The Ethiopian Herald, July 4/2019
BY GIRMACHEW GASHAW
