Roots Ethiopia Inc

SUPPORTING COMMUNITY IDENTIFIED SOLUTIONS FOR JOB CREATION AND EDUCATION IN ETHIOPIA.

LEARNING RESOURCE PROJECTS PROVIDE RESOURCES AND SUPPORT FOR IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF UNDER-RESOURCED RURAL SCHOOLS SO THEY CAN RAISE THE QUALITY OF EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR THE COMMUNITY. RESOURCES INCLUDE: MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENT FOR THE CLASSROOMS, LABS AND LIBRARIES; SPORTS AND LEADERSHIP PROGRAM RESOURCES; CONTINUING EDUCATION AND SKILL DEVELOPMENT FOR TEACHING PROFESSIONALS, AND REPAIR OF SUBSTANDARD SCHOOL FACILITIES. DURING 2021, ROOTS ETHIOPIA FUNDED SUPPORT AND/OR PROJECTS FOR 25 RURAL SCHOOLS [PLUS 3 NON LRP SCHOOLS, NAMELY HIGA MODEL, SHAMO AJECHO & HALABA MODEL] SERVING APPROXIMATELY 40,000 STUDENTS AND THEIR COMMUNITIES. ROOTS ETHIOPIA ALSO PROVIDED PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR 130 SCHOOL STAFF; IMPROVED SCHOOL LATRINES; SCIENCE LABS; INITIATED NEW YOUTH SPORTS LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS; IMPROVED SCHOOL LIBRARIES; AND REFURBISHED ONE SPECIAL EDUCATION CLASSROOM. AN OVERALL IMPROVEMENT IN THE SCHOOLS IN TERMS OF INPUT, OUTPUT, AND OUTCOME LEVEL INDICATORS SET BY THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION. SPECIFIC EXAMPLES OF SUCH ACHIEVEMENTS WERE REGISTERED IN THREE SCHOOLS: MERKATO (PROMOTED FROM LEVEL 1 TO LEVEL 3), TEZA GREBA (PROMOTED FROM LEVEL 2 TO LEVEL 3), AND TUNTO (PROMOTED FROM LEVEL 2 TO LEVEL 3).

HUMANITARIAN AID WAS DELIVERED IN DIRECT RESPONSE TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC. ROOTS ETHIOPIA RECOGNIZED THAT WHILE COVID-19 IS A HEALTH EMERGENCY, ITS IMPACT IS FELT BEYOND JUST PHYSICAL WELL-BEING, PARTICULARLY FOR FAMILIES WITH FOOD INSECURITY. WORKING IN COLLABORATION WITH LOCAL LEADERS AND HEALTH OFFICERS, OUR FIELD TEAM DELIVERED FOOD AND HEALTH EDUCATION BENEFITTING OVER 6,000 INDIVIDUALS. OVER 1,000 FAMILIES RECEIVED WHEAT FLOUR, COOKING OIL, SOAP, AND HEALTH EDUCATION TO HELP KEEP FAMILIES SAFE AND HEALTHY. HAND WASHING DEMONSTRATIONS, SOCIAL DISTANCING PRACTICE, AND CORONAVIRUS INFORMATION WAS SHARED. A REFERRAL LINK FOR FAMILIES CONNECTED NEARLY 400 MOTHERS TO THEIR LOCAL HEALTH OFFICER AND FAMILIES WERE ENCOURAGED TO SHARE GOOD INFORMATION.

SCHOOL SPONSORSHIPS PROVIDE THE RESOURCES FOR STUDENTS TO AFFORD ACCESS TO AND EXCEL IN QUALITY EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES. BETWEEN JANUARY 1, 2021 AND DECEMBER 31, 2021, ROOTS ETHIOPIA FUNDED MORE THAN 200 SCHOOL SPONSORSHIP PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS. WITH SUPPORT, STUDENT SCHOOL PERFORMANCE INCREASED VIVIDLY INCREASED. FOR EXAMPLE, IN 2017 THE PASSING RATE FOR THE 8TH GRADE EXAMPLE IN MERKATO SCHOOL WAS 20%. FOR THE THREE YEARS ENDED IN 2020, A 100% PASSING RATE HAS BEEN RECORDED! STUDENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES ALSO BENEFITTED FROM HUMANITARIAN AID PROGRAMS PROVIDED BY ROOTS ETHIOPIA IN RESPONSE TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC.

SELF-HELP ENTREPRENEURIAL GROUPS (AKA SHE, FORMERLY INCOME GENERATING ACTIVITIES + SELF-HELP SAVINGS GROUPS) CREATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR HOUSEHOLDS TO DEVELOP AND MAINTAIN SUSTAINABLE SMALL BUSINESS AND SAVINGS PROGRAMS SO FAMILIES CAN BUILD A BETTER FUTURE FOR THEMSELVES. BETWEEN JANUARY 1, 2021 AND DECEMBER 31, 2021, 240 SHE WOMEN AND THEIR FAMILIES CONTINUE TO OPERATE SMALL BUSINESSES WITH MENTORING AND SUPPORT FROM ROOTS ETHIOPIA. AS WITH THE STUDENTS SUPPORTED BY SCHOOL SCHOLARSHIPS, THE WOMEN ENGAGED IN SELF-HELP GROUPS BENEFITTED FROM HEALTH AND NUTRITION PROGRAMS ORGANIZED BY ROOTS ETHIOPIA DURING THE 2021 COVID-19 PANDEMIC.