The Ethiopia Programme is relatively new for DRC. The start up of the operation began on 1st of September 2009, and in November 2009 two offices were opened: The head office for Ethiopia in Jijiga, Somali Regional State of Ethiopia and a smaller liaisons office in Addis Ababa.
DRC will in the start-up phase of the operation in the Somali Regional State of Ethiopia work with refugees and hosting communities. The current programme is planned to address livelihoods, water and sanitation and public health issues through a community driven development approach in relevant locations in Somali Region.
The Somali Region of Ethiopia has traditionally been an area of intense population movements. Over the past 30 years the region has witnessed displacements due to conflict and/or natural disasters (drought). The main displacement has occurred from the conflict inside Somalia with refugees fleeing the two decades of conflict. In the 90’s nearly one million Somalis took refuge in the neighbouring countries, half a million of them in Ethiopia, which led to the creation of 7 refugee main camps, one of them (Kabre Beyah) being the biggest one in the world at the time.
Displaced Somali populations have usually concentrated in two well-defined areas of the region: Jijiga zone, well communicated with the rest of Ethiopia and where Somali refugees of any clan can find the protection of the Ethiopian civil administration in control of the existing refugee camps; and in the South Eastern area.
According to UNHCR, there are approximately 34,000 recognized Somali refugees living in the 3 camps existing in Jijiga zone of Ethiopia: Kabre Beyah, the largest of them, has approx. 17,000 refugees; Aw Barre, has approx. 10,000; and Sheder nearly 7,000. Historically the camps in Jijiga Zone have hosted towards 500.000 refugees from Somalia, and the area has experienced a rapid environmental degradation due to the pressure from this large population.
With the escalating violence between opposing factions inside Somalia, the humanitarian community expects that more Somalis will cross into Ethiopia and agencies have started planning accordingly. UNHCR has prepared a contingency plan that was recently updated in Djibuty, and includes a new registration centre and refugee camp in Dolo Ado, the point where the Kenyan, Ethiopian and Somali borders converge.
The situation in other parts of the South Eastern border area is similarly serious. It is however difficult to assess exactly how many people have fled across the border during the last year, as the refugees are hosted inside the local communities.
Livelihood Projects
In March 2010, DRC initiated five Livelihood activity projects in 3 eastern refugee camps and two hosting districts. Proposed livelihood activities are based on the ‘Livelihoods Assessment’ carried out by DRC in 2009 and communications with ARRA, UNHCR and other organisations working in Jijiga.
The five projects of newly implemented livelihoods strategies by DRC are Micro-Loan revolving Fund (MLRF), Pasta Making, Soap Making, Sewing Machine and Push Cart distribution for habitants in the refugee camps.
The Ethiopia Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH)
Water and sanitation are critical for survival in the initial stage of a disaster. People affected by disaster are generally much more susceptible to illness and death from disease, which are related to a large extent to inadequate sanitation, inadequate water supply and poor hygiene.
The main objective of water supply and sanitation of Ethiopia programme in the three camps of Jigjiga is to reduce the transmission of faeco-oral disease and exposure to disease-bearing vectors, through the promotion of good hygiene practices, the provision of safe drinking water and the reduction of environmental health risks.
Community Driven Recovery Development programme
The Community Driven Recovery and Development (CDRD) programme is founded on participatory principles involving the whole community in identifying, deciding, implementing and monitoring the development needed. CDRD treats the beneficiaries as assets and partners in the development process, building on their own institutions and resources. Experience has shown that with access to information and appropriate support, communities can be effectively organised to provide the goods and services that meet their needs. Not only do communities have greater capacity than generally recognised, they also have the most to gain from making good use of resources targeted at poverty reduction.
Partners and donors
