The Hailemariam & Roman Foundation(HRF) in collaboration with the Hamer & Bena Tsemay Woredas Administration held a two-day performance evaluation session last week in South Omo Zone. Key stakeholder representatives attended the session in Dimeka and Key Afer Towns, including leaders of the Women and Children Affairs Office, OMO Bank, Enterprise Development Office, Animal and Fisheries Office, Agriculture and Natural Resources Development Office, and Woreda administrators.
The main objective of the two – day meeting was to bring together all stakeholders to evaluate the past year’s performance regarding the proper implementation of the economic empowerment projects of the HRF in Hamer & Bena Tsemay Woredas, and Turmi City Administration.
In the session, the focal persons of the respective local governments presented the accomplishments and challenges they faced over the past year. It was mentioned in the discussion as a success that youth and women’s associations involved in vegetable gardening and poultry farming had no income in the past, but now they are making money and developing savings habits.
Mrs. Debrework Leulseged, representative of the HRF, who facilitated the discussion with the respective Woreda administrators, stated that after discussing the gaps that were observed in last year’s performance, stakeholders vowed to take a part, and the HRF also advocated enhanced collaboration for better performance.
Following the close of the meeting, the key stakeholders visited selected sites of economic empowerment initiatives of the HRF where they appreciated the progress of the project in reducing unemployment among youth and women by creating employment opportunities in a wide range of fields, including small ruminant fattening, poultry farming, vegetable gardening, food preparation for schoolchildren, and small business.
Hailemariam & Roman Foundation
December 2023, South Omo Zone