Ethiopian Diaspora Trust Fund: Board approves shortlisted project proposals, raises over USD 5.4 million

Ethiopian Diaspora Trust Fund (EDTF) project proposals
Ethiopian Diaspora Trust Fund (EDTF) project proposals

ADDIS ABABA (EDTF) – The Board of Directors of the Ethiopian Diaspora Trust Fund is has announces the completion of project proposal reviews. The Ethiopian Diaspora Trust Fund Secretariat coordinated the project review process following receipt of over 300 project proposals in mid-September 2019.

The 22 shortlisted projects identified below will undergo a final implementation capacity assessment and budget review focusing on organizational resources, management and effectiveness to deliver on proposed project outcomes.

Project proposals were reviewed by volunteer Ethiopian experts in a variety of fields recruited from Ethiopia and the global Ethiopian Diaspora community. These experts were organized in 26 Project Review Teams (PRTs), each team consisting of panels of 3 members. The PRTs reviewed and ranked each proposal according to criteria set for proposal submissions. After the PRTs performed a full review of 242 proposals, 68 were found to meet the established criteria, out of which the Secretariat presented 22 projects to the Board of Directors for their consideration and approval.

Among the key proposal evaluation criteria included are sustainability of the proposed project, potential impact, relevance, scalability, innovation and creativity, cost efficiency (value for money), accountability, transparency and communication. Regional equity was also taken into consideration in deciding the short-listed applicants.

Ato Zafu Eyesuswork Zafu, Chairman of EDTF Board of Directors said, “Thanks to the relentless effort of the Board of Directors, Advisory Council, Volunteers and the Secretariat, the initial project review process has been completed successfully and qualified projects that meet EDTF’s publicly announced project selection criteria and scoring system have been shortlisted. These approved projects will be advanced for an assessment by an independent consultant for their Organizational Capacity and Budget Proposal before the final grantees are identified”.

Ato Zafu, on the approval of the project proposals, affirmed, “It is with full confidence that I confirm to all stakeholders that all the donated funds will be fairly allocated among projects selected through a transparent and comprehensive review process for its critical need, project design, practicality of implementation and financial soundness”.

The 22 shortlisted EDTF project proposals in no chronological order are:

  • Korah Great Hope Charity Organization (KGHCO) on Water and Sanitation
    • Hygiene and sanitation promotion at Woreda 01 of Kolfe Keraniyo Sub-City (Addis Ababa)
  • Hiwot Integrated Development Organization (HIDO) on Education
    • Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) Services for Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC)
  • Organization for Women in Self Employment (WISE) on Women Employment
    • Enhancing the employability and competitiveness of underprivileged young and adult women in Addis Ababa
  • Federation of Ethiopian National Associations of Persons with Disabilities – FENAPD on Women & Youth & Rehabilitation
    • Improving the livelihood of women and youth with disability, Addis Ababa, Oromia, SNNPR, Amhara, and Tigray regions
  • Beza Posterity Development Organization on Child Protection
    • Collaborative and Indigenous Action to Prevent Child Marriage and FGM (CIAPCm) in Afar Region
  • Pro-development Network on Water Sanitation and Hygiene
    • Promotion of safe Water Supply, Hygiene and Sanitation for Hard-to -reach Communities Using renewable energy in Afar and Tigray Region
  • Organization for Rehabilitation and Development in Amhara (ORDA) on Water and Sanitation
    • Yilmana Densa WASH Project
  • Help for Persons with Disabilities-Organization (HPD-O) on Education
    • Build the fulfilling capacity of special needs education units in selected primary schools for the provision of specialized services for neglected children with disabilities to be effectively and meaningfully integrated with regular school system
  • Network of Charitable Association of HIV Positive for Health and Development (NAPHAD) on Sanitation
    • Come on Clean (COC); Action Against Open Defecation and Waste Dumping
  • Ethiopian Red Cross Society on Water and Sanitation for Internally Displaced People
    • Integrated WASH and Livelihood Recovery Project for Conflict Displaced Population in Central Gondar Zone
  • Shayashone Trading PLC on Food, Income and Nutrition Security/ Youth Employment
    • Promoting Hermetic Storage Technologies (PICS Bags) for Household food-income-Nutrition Security and Job Opportunity for youth in Amhara, SNNPR and Oromia regions
  • Boro-Shinasha Development Association (Boro-SDA) on Agriculture
    • Youthful Agribusiness Development Project in Benishangul Gumuz Region in Benishangul Gumuz Region
  • Dire Dawa Agriculture, Water Mine and Energy Bureau on Irrigation and Water Supply
    • Hasenliso irrigation development and potable water supply project
  • Mathiwos Wondu – YeEthiopia Cancer Society on Health, Cervical Cancer
    • Strengthening access for Cervical Cancer Screening in Gambella, Afar, Benishangul-Gumuz Regions
  • Haramaya University on Solid Waste Management/Income Generation
    • Waste-to-Wealth: Eco-friendly Approaches for Sustainable Solid Waste Management in Harar, Ethiopia
  • Siiqqee Women’s Development Association (SWDA) on Agri-Business Development for Internally Displaced People
    • Reestablishment of livelihoods for Internal Displaced people in Oromia Regio
  • Oromo Self Reliance Association (OSRA) on Health and Education
    • Clean water supply, improved sanitation facilities and hygiene promotion for rural communities and schools located in four woredas of Oromia Region
  • Bole Bible Baptist church Child Care and Community Development (BBBC) on Education
    • Enlightenment Through Education (ETE) Project in Oromia
  • Gurmuu Development Association (Gurmuu) on Education
    • Enhancing educational provision in 4 primary schools through improving children learning environment in Oromia Regio
  • Hadiya Development Association (HAD) on Education
    • Daneto Secondary School Upgrading Project, Soro Woreda, Hadiya Zone, SNNPRS
  • Tigrai Development Association (TDA) on Education
    • Help the Child for Lifetlong Learning (HCLL Project)
  • Association Develop Horn (AD-Horn) on Rehabilitation of Disabled People
    • Empowering the Differently Able and Work Towards the Hidden Reality II: Support peoples with hearing impairment (deaf) and autistic children in Jijgiga, Somali Region

A total of 4,000,000 USD is allocated to finance projects in the first round of funding. The minimum and maximum amount that will be granted per project is approximately ETB 6,400,000 (USD $200,000) and ETB 11,200,000 (USD $350,000) respectively.

Final project awards will be announced following the signing of project implementation contracts with grantees on the 30th of January 2020.

EDTF, which has formed 46 chapters so far, has disclosed on 6 January 2020 that it has collected over 5.4 million USD from 25, 670 donors in 93 countries last year (2019). 

Launched in August 2018 with the appointment of EDTF Advisory Council, EDTF is a signature initiative of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.

Sources: EDTF & ENA