ERCS announces 10.7 mln. birr natural disaster support programme

Addis Ababa - The Ethiopian Red Cross Society (ERCS) says it has embarked on a major new programme to support people affected by natural disaster in different states of the country, with a more than 10.7 million fund secured from the European Commission Humanitarian Office (ECHO).

ERCS signed the contract with ECHO to implement an Emergency Drought Preparedness Intervention in the most drought-prone states - Oromia, Harari, Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples State and Afar and respond to flood victims in the Amhara State in north and South Gondar zones.

The main aim of the project is to enable the ERCS in partnership with the local communities to respond swiftly and efficiently to needs arising from recurrent droughts within the sector of water and thereby reducing the incidents of negative coping mechanisms within local communities in targeted areas. The project is accomplished in collaboration with the Danish Red Cross.

The project, which started in October 2006 and runs for 12 months, is expected to reach an estimated 120,000 people, including pastoralists and farmers.

Another three-month project sets out to cater for the needs of flood victims through the provision of seeds and tools, construction of 56 shallow wells, training on Participatory Hygiene and Sanitation Transformation (PHAST), community participation and capacity building, empowerment of women and mobilization of ERCS volunteers.

The aid will benefit more than 37,000 dwellers, with a particular focus on female-headed households in North and South Gondar zones, it said.

The project will be implemented within the overall framework of the Government’s drought response strategies and closely coordinated with relevant line ministries.

(ENA)

Dart championship underway

Bahir Dar – Ethiopian Dart Championship has been underway in Bahir Dar town of Amhara State since Monday, the Ethiopian Dart Federation said.

Championship Executive Committee and Public Relations Committee Chairperson, Dereje Shimelis, said over 50 players drawn from eight states are competing in 11 types of sport.

Accordingly, players drawn from Benshangul-Gumz, Harari, Oromia, Afar, Gambella and Amhara states as well as Addis Ababa and Dire Dawa administrations have been taking part under adult and teenage categories in singles and pairs.

According to the chairperson, the championship organized in collaboration with Ethio-Nipon Technical Association, will continue for the coming three days.

(WIC)

CSA urges public to provide accurate information during population, housing census

ADDIS ABABA - The Central Statistical Agency (CSA) called upon the public to provide accurate information during the upcoming national population and housing census, which it said, is an important input in designing development strategies of the country.

The agency said the outputs of the census are vital in designing development strategies of the country as well as in resolving problems faced at various levels.

The population and housing census is an essential source of reliable information at various administration levels, it said.

Accordingly, it plays vital role in the decisions being made to realize the country’s development strategies and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

The agency urged house renters in providing accurate information about people living in their house as the census is not associated with other purposes.

As the information collected by the enumerators would be used only for the census, the agency urged the public to play role for the success of the population and housing census.

Meanwhile, the Central Statistical Agency (CSA) said preparations have been finalized to provide training for over 4,000 teachers who would take part in the population and Housing Census to be conducted in the Harari State and East Hararghe Zone of Oromia State.

Harar branch CSA Office Representative Solomon Mengistu said yesterday that the office will offer a 10-day training to 4,268 teachers on the execution of the census.

The training would be offered in Harar, Girawa, Bedeno and Deder towns to teachers drawn from the Harari State and 18 woredas of East Hararghe Zone, according to the representative.

Stores and materials are also being prepared for the census apart from the training, Solomon added.



(ENA/WIC)

Number of VCT beneficiaries growing in Harari

ADDIS ABABA - The number of people getting HIV/AIDS Voluntary Testing and Counseling (VCT) service has been drastically increasing in Harari State, State Health Bureau said.

Bureau head Dr. Berena Abdush told ENA Saturday that the bureau had set plans to provide VCT service for 6,400 people during the current budget year.

However, he said the bureau provided VCT service for more than 6,500 people during the first half of the budget year.

The bureau scored better achievements owing to the consecutive consultations made with residents of the state at various levels, he said.

The Millennium anti-HIV/AIDS Campaign conducted in the state has significantly contributed for the better performance registered in the provision of VCT, Dr. Berena said, and added that efforts are being exerted to register better results during the second half of the budget year.

More than 1,000 people, who were found to be HIV positive during the reported period, have been getting free anti-retroviral therapy, Dr. Berena added.

Some 5,000 residents in Maichew town of Tigray State have also undergone Voluntary HIV/AIDS blood test and counseling (VCT) services during the last six months, the town health office said.

Office communicable diseases prevention and control section head, Messay Abebe said the number of people to undergo voluntary HIV/AIDS blood screening and counseling has increased.

The head made the remark while closing a three-day workshop organized by the Tigray Women’s Association for over 300 civil servants deployed in the region.

The rise in the number of VCT service beneficiaries indicates that there is positive behavioural change toward the prevention and control of the pandemic.

Some 174 persons living with the virus have already started receiving antiretroviral drugs, he added.



(ENA)

Farmers expect 23 mln. quintals of crops cultivated through irrigation

ADDIS ABABA – Close to 395,000 hectare has been developed through irrigation in eight states this dry season, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development disclosed.

Irrigation Development Expert with the Ministry,Haile Gebeyehu told WIC that over one million farmers in Tigray, Afar, Amhara, Oromia, SNNP, Gambella and Harari states as well as Dire Dawa Administration are engaged in the development.

Utilizing river, stream, lake and underground water as well as harvested rainwater, the farmers have been growing fruits and vegetables, sesame, cotton, spices and other cash crops, he added.

The expert said the farmers engaged in the irrigation development are being provided with fertilizer, vegetable and crop select seeds and other inputs.

Over 23 million quintals of crops is expected from the irrigated land, according to Haile.

Haile further pointed out that suitable packages have been prepared for the irrigation development activities to be carried out in arid areas, and added that efforts are also underway to help them produce crops and fodder using water saving irrigation technologies.

A number of farmers in some parts of the country are producing twice in a year, Haile said, adding that more than 100,000 hectare is also expected to be irrigated in the coming months.

In a related news, farmers in Habru Woreda, North Wollo Zone of Amhara State, have reaped over 240,000 quintals of vegetables they developed through irrigation during the last three months.

Woreda Information Office Public Relations and Documentation Desk Head, Worku Semaynew told ENA that the farmers have reaped the stated amount of agricultural produces from nearly 2,000 hectares.

Some of the farmers said their incomes have been increased since they began to grow marketable crops using irrigation schemes.

Over 3,000 hectares have already been developed in the woreda through irrigation, according to the head.



(WIC/ENA)

Over 90,000 people protected from malaria

HARAR - More than 90,000 people in Harari State were protected from malaria, the State Health Bureau said.

Bureau Deputy Head Birna Abdosh told ENA Friday that the stated number of people was protected from malaria following various pre-emptive activities carried out in malaria-prone localities.

Anti-malaria chemicals were sprayed on over 23,000 houses while over 50,000 canopies were also distributed, he said.

Birrna said swampy areas were also cleared.

(ENA)

Harar obtains over 9.6 mln. birr from tourists

HARAR - Over 9.6 million birr revenue has been secured from foreign and local tourists visited tourist attractions in Harar town, Harari State Trade Industry and Urban Development Bureau said.

Tourism Department Head with the Bureau, Abdunasir Idris told ENA yesterday that the stated sum of revenue was obtained from over 22,000 tourists who came to the town over the past nine months.

Over 6,000 of the tourists who visited the town were foreigners, the head said, and added that most of them came from Europe, America, Asia and Australia.

The number of tourists coming to the state along with the revenue being generated from the sector has steadily been increasing owing to the vast promotion works carried out in the sector, the head said.

Capacity building trainings have been offered for people engaged in hotel, souvenir and gift articles manufacturing and working as tourist guides, in a bid to attracting more tourists by making their stay in the town comfortable.

The head also indicated that the bureau has published a tourist guidebook and has prepared publications that promote tourist attractions of the town in five languages.

The historical fortressed Jegol area, the five entrance gates of the town, historical buildings, handicrafts and museums were among the tourist attractions visited during the period reported.

(ENA)