High-ranking officials of the Hailemariam & Roman Foundation (HRF) and China Foundation for Rural Development have discussed the prospects of funding projects for women’s economic empowerment and school meals in pastoral areas of Ethiopia. In the discussion held at the HRF Head Office late last week, they discussed ways to strengthen the student meal program implemented by HRF and related issues.
On the same day, a report was presented explaining the school meal program that HRF is running in five schools in Hamer and Benatsemay Woredas of South Omo Zone, and a discussion was held on the existing challenges and prospects of the implementation process.
Subsequently, senior officials from the China Foundation for Rural Development, as well as experts from the HRF, visited the foundation’s various activities in the South Omo area. The school meal program in five schools in Hamer and Benatsemay Woredas, which garnered financial support for the last Ethiopian fiscal year (2014) from the China Foundation for Rural Development, was one of these programs visited.
During their working visit delegates of the China Foundation for Rural Development after having a discussion with the students and school community, they were very pleased with the results achieved because of school meal programs, such as a decrease in student dropouts, an increase in students’ interest in attending school, and the fact that they were effective in their studies.
In addition, the delegates observed the projects being executed by the HRF, with the support received from various donor organizations and embassies, which are focused on women’s economic empowerment in South Omo Zone. They claimed to have observed numerous changes in a short period of time after their visit, and they indicated an interest in working together again on a variety of HRF-implemented initiatives.
Hailemariam & Roman Foundation
October 2022, Addis Ababa