In brief

Programme purpose: In line with the strategic aims of the Strategy 2020 the Ethiopian Red Cross Society (ERCS) programme contributes to saving lives, protecting livelihoods and strengthening recovery from disasters and crises, healthy living and promoting social inclusion as well as a culture of non-violence and peace. ERCS aims to raise the capacity of staff and volunteers in disaster response and preparedness in order to effectively and efficiently deliver better services to disaster affected populations.

Programme summary:

ERCS’s activities in 2011 continued to focus on improving the lives of the most vulnerable people of Ethiopia by reducing the impact of natural and man-made disasters, diseases and improving the capacities of its volunteers. A number of priorities were identified by ERCS from its existing programmes and strategic plan seeking Federation Secretariat support in 2010-2011. During the first half of 2011, the Secretariat supported ERCS by providing technical support for implementation of disaster preparedness and risk reduction activities, food security interventions, Community Based Health and First Aid (CBHFA), HIV and AIDS, water and sanitation (WatSan) and organizational development. These programmes received vital support from the Swedish Red Cross and through IFRC global partnership programme with the United Kingdom Government’s Department for International Development (DfID).

Achievements were made in disaster risk reduction (DRR)-integrated food security.
Trainings were carried out on Income Generating Activities (IGAs), fruit garden management training and distribution of cross breed cows. Additionally, training of trainers (ToT) on Participatory Hygiene and Sanitation Transformation (PHAST) was conducted in Mekelle Red Cross Branch focussing on water borne related diseases. Other activities included training of households living with HIV/AIDS on the benefits of trade, business and marketing issues for better management of income. In addition, a CBHFA ToT was carried out focusing in First Aid, Red Cross dissemination, treatment of persons during an accident and blood infusion amongst others.

In Health and Care, monitoring and evaluation of health related activities were carried out by ERCS headquarters in five branches. Among other activities carried out were trainings, dissemination of health educational material and community sensitization, cleaning campaigns in 8 villages, construction of hand dug wells and pit latrines. In addition, volunteers and staff members from 11 regional branches were trained in Pre-Hospital Emergency Care (PHEC) and, through support from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), prisoners from East Shoa were trained in First Aid. The ERCS WatSan department made considerable developments by building eight water springs in West Wollega, West Shoa, Wolayta and Gurarghe zones. Among other activities carried out in the first half of 2011 were PHAST trainings, building of sanitation platforms (SanPlats), wash basins, shower rooms and IGAs.

The ERCS Organizational Development department was able to implement a database to improve the membership and volunteer management in 10 branches. The ERCS is celebrating the International Year of Volunteering (IYV 2011) in all branches where the main theme and pillars were presented and discussed to plan different activities. The mid year review meeting was held in April 2011 to create understanding and to identify challenges among the branches in the region on the humanitarian and development activities of ERCS in the region. A Branch Capacity Assessment (BCA) tool was used to increase the capacity of the Gambella Regional Branch in order to integrate programmes and community development activities to increase the capacity of the branch. Additionally, a pilot study was conducted on how to establish a sustainable income for branches such as the multipurpose building construction in branches.
More studies are planned throughout the year in other branches to develop a business model on how to run a business in a sustainable way.