Adheno - Integrated Rural Development Association

The following projects have been successfully completed by ADHENO:

A) Tree Gudifecha

Location: Village of Workegur in Goshe Bado (Bossona Worana Woreda)

Land rehabilitation in North Shoa can be achieved through afforestation. Covering the land with vegetation will conserve the soil and improve its fertility. It will also improve the precipitation level and the conservation of rainwater thereby improving the water supply of the area. Though planting trees has many advantages for the area, it also requires extra money, time ,and energy. For poor farmers who barely have enough to feed their families, it is impossible to get the resources needed to rehabilitate their land and break out of the cycle of poverty without external help. This is where ADHENO comes in.

The tree planting started with the church clergy. Money raised from pilgrims going to the Workgur St. Gabriel Monastery was used to purchase tree seedlings. These seedlings were planted around the church by the clergy. The following year the clergy were paid for surviving trees and there was more demand for seedlings. Priests and their followers from nearby areas have expressed their interest in planting trees in their areas as well.

Tree Gudifecha pays farmers for trees they plant IF they survive. This provides farmers with additional income to buy the food they need for their family. It also provides them an incentive to care for the seedlings they plant and make sure they survive. In addition to providing farmers with additional income, the goal of this project is to start a culture of planting and caring for trees and the environment. Women and girls are also given the opportunity to earn extra income by planting and caring for trees. In a few years it is anticipated that firewood will be more available, the soil productivity will have increased, and dried up springs will once again have water. This will mean that women and girls will not need to travel long distances for firewood and water.

i) Tree Gudifecha Phase I (2003 – 2005)

Afforestation / Reforestation

• Established 100, 000 tree seedling capacity nursery
• 21,650 tree seedlings were raised
  • A total of 9780 seedlings belonging to 18 species of trees were acquired. These were distributed to farmers for planting around farm plots, homesteads and churchyards in the present project area (the village of Workegur of the Goshebado Peasants Association in Bassona Worana Woreda of North Shoa Zone). About two thirds of the seedlings were planted in an area designated for biodiversity conservation and afforestation.
  • A spring called Berkomas was developed and the water delivered by an eight hundred meters long pipeline to a water collection chamber constructed near the st. Gabriel Church at Workegur village. Community taps were installed in the church compound to give villagers easy access to clean water.

ii) Tree Gudifecha Phase II (2005 – 2007)

• 148,000 Tree seedlings were raised and planted, including native indigenous species that are critical for combating the severe ecological degradation
• Provided extensive education to the area farmers on, soil and water conservation practices, nursery management, highland fruit management and other critical skills
• Provided participating local farmers with stipends to support and encourage their participation in planting and nurturing native flora

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B) Area Enclosure Program

A small piece of land close to the church was designated for Biodiversity conservation and was protected from human and animal interference such as cattle grazing. Just by protecting the land from grazing, the natural vegetation is allowed to develop unimpeded and the results have been very noticeable. The pictures show the stark contrast between protected and unprotected land.

• ADHENO secured agreement and buy-in from local government and grass root organizations and designated significant land area close to the St. Gabriel Church in Workegur village for Biodiversity conservation protected from human and animal interference. This is a significant achievement and a testament to local acceptance of the project.
• Local farmers were employed to protect the enclosed land from grazing cattle

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C) Basic Educational Facilities

In 2006, ADHENO completed construction of the first modern primary school in the village of Worqgur. The school has proper sanitation and pedagogical facilities and currently has 335 students enrolled in grades one through four (as of June 2008), including 159 girls and 176 boys. The school building has three units, the largest unit contains four classrooms with a capacity of 60 pupils per classroom. The second unit contains rooms for a pedagogic centre, an office, a staff lounge and a store room. The third unit is a latrine with two separate rooms for boys and girls.

The furnished school building was handed over to the local educational authority, Bossona Worana Woreda Education office. This authority is responsible for the curriculum, teachers, administration, and operations of the school. etc. There are no school fees.

The school was constructed with funding from the Japanese Embassy in Addis Abeba. Supplemental funding from supporters in the US, Canada, and Europe (now organized as Dir Biyabir) was key to completing this project.

The school was officially inaugurated on Saturday October 21 2006 in a colorful celebration with songs and speeches, Ethiopian bread and Tella. The inauguration was attended by students and their families, teachers, ADHENO board members, representatives from the Japanese embassy, and local government officials. All the girls were given new shoes. It was a very happy occasion and the villagers expressed their happiness and gratitude.

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D) Conservation Training

Graduated of over ten farmers after receiving intense training on tree nursery development and management

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E) Gaining Key Domestic and International Support

• Presented the concept behind Gudifetcha of Trees at the "Ethiopia-Sudan Development Marketplace" and won the World Bank competition in March 2003 for Innovation and Best Practices.
• Won grants from the Embassy of Ireland in Ethiopia and Christian Relief and Development Association (CRDA) for funding projects based on Gudifetcha for Trees, and water resources development initiatives.
• Won grant from the Embassy of Japan in Ethiopia in 2006 for funding school construction.
• Developed relationship with Dir Biyabir (www.dirbiyabir.org), a US based non-profit group supporting grass-roots projects in Ethiopia. Secured funding from Dir Biyabir in 2007 and 2008 for youth entrepreneurship initiatives, text books for school, and for ADHENO operational expenses.” Supported Dir Biyabir in successful application for Christensen Fund grant for youth based Gudifecha of Trees project.
• Won a UNDP (United Nations Development Program) small grants program for afforestation in December 2007
• Carried out successful fundraising effort in Addis Abeba to support projects and operational cost raising a total of $62,131 ETB (~ $7,000 USD)