Ethiopiaid
Ethiopiaid is a registered charity that generates public funding for local charity partners in Ethiopia. They support around 20 organisations who work in three areas; poverty reducation, healthcare and education.
History
Ethiopiaid was founded in 1989 by Sir Alec Reed. Reed is the founder of Reed (Company) along with several international charities and charitable website the Big Give. Sir Alec established the charity after a visit to Ethiopia in the late 1980s in order to 'help alleviate some of the horrific problems in the developing world.'[1]
Approach
Ethiopiaid raise public funding and transfer it safely and directly to partners twice a year. These partner charities then carry out their activities under the guidance and support of Ethiopiaid. Donations are largely unrestricted and requirements are monitored regularly to ensure that levels of funding are appropriate.
Ethiopiaid have central aims:
The first is to dedicate their work to Ethiopia. Many projects are located close to the capital Addis Ababa, although many partners have been supported in developing rural sub-projects to target specific areas. Overall this allows for an integrated approach, with funds dedicated to local trusted partners.
Ethiopiaid break the colonial mould by supporting Ethiopian partners rather than send expatriates to conduct work on their behalf. It is important to them that skills and experience are passed on to local people in order to sustain development effort.
Ethiopiaid encourage self-sustainability by unrestricting donations and working closely with key stakeholders at each charity to ensure that their best interests are promoted and supported.
How Ethiopiaid Fundraises
Ethiopiaid raise money through regular postal campaigns, containing updates on partner development and opportunities to support their work. They issue also two newsletters per year - in July and December.
Partners
Ethiopiaid takes the approach, where possible, of working with partners rather than specific projects or programmes. These local charities take on funding twice a year, based on an annual review of accounts by Ethiopiaid and detailed discussions regarding their recent activities, future aims and any present circumstances.
The work of each partner fulls under one of three categories: poverty reduction, education and health.
Poverty Reduction
Children Aid Ethiopia (Chad-Et) has two main aims - to protect and rehabilitate children exposed to sexual exploitation and to prevent the transmission of HIV/AIDS. Ethiopiaid works with the DEWADA and Eneredada to help improve the lives of impoverished elderly people by providing food, clothing, medicine and house repairs. Facilitators for Change (FCE) has implemented a revolving loan scheme to help people in Ethiopia lift themselves out of poverty. Ethiopiaid has been working with Mother Teresa's Missionaries of Charity in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia since 1993, recently extending funding to the Mission's work in Dire Dawa. St Francis Integrated Development Org. (FIDO) helps the people who need it most - displaced people, those without clean water and people whose living conditions put them in danger.
Education
Addis Ababa University was founded in 1950 and was Ethiopia's first university - Ethiopiaid has been supporting the university since 2000. Addis Development Vision (ADV) work to change social attitudes towards disability in Ethiopia and to provide access to education for those affected. Forum for Street Children Ethiopia (FSCE) provides education, counselling, support and justice for poor children living in Dire Dawa - the second most populous city in Ethiopia. HOPE Enterprises has revolutionised education in Ethiopia and works to give people the knowledge and expertise needed to work themselves out of poverty. Until recently, education in Ethiopia has been a luxury that only the wealthy could afford. To tackle this problem, Ethiopiaid is co-funding the construction of HOPE University College.JECCDO provides a holistic support programme not only to ensure its beneficiaries have food, shelter and education in the short-term, but also, a path to improving self-sufficiency in the long-term.
Health
A fistula is an injury that occurs during a prolonged labour where the pressure of the baby's head causes a hole between the woman's bladder and her vagina. If left untreated, the woman becomes incontinent. The Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital provide pre and post operative care for women affected by this condition, most crucial providing life-saving operations and training for midwives - the student being past patients of the hospital. The Black Lion Hospital is one of only two University Hospitals in Ethiopia and the largest general public hospital in Addis Ababa. Ethiopiaid has been working with Cheshire Services in Addis Ababa since 1998 to help thousands of disabled children and adults. Facing Africa conduct important work in the field of Noma - within just a few weeks of contracting it, the lips, cheek, nose and jaw are eaten away by gangrene, leaving ghastly, painful wounds on the victims' faces. Ethiopiaid has been working with Daughters of Charity since 1994 to address the huge problem of HIV/AIDS in Ethiopia.
Emergency Funding
In times of emergency, Ethiopiaid have conducted relief campaigns to raise crucial funding for those affected by drought or famine in Ethiopia. On these occasion, they have partnered with Save the Children UK to ensure than funding is deployed quickly. Most recently they raised £100,000, as part of the 2010 famine relief effort.
References
- ↑ , The Autobiography of Alec Reed, p. 135