To strengthen the communities in the areas we operate in, Sher Ethiopia supports several projects to develop income generating activities for groups formed by community members. Over the last months, many groups have been trained in beekeeping and eco-tourism.
50 beehives were distributed to 13 groups of 4 to 10 members. In total 80 people have gained basic knowledge about honey-production. Behind every member there are large families that benefit from the project. One example is the group named the Mustafa Abu sub-group/apiary (photo). The members of this group are very motivated to start with this activity and have agreed to invest most of the revenues of the honey sales in buying extra beehives. By working together, the whole community will benefit, rather than just one family. A small part of the yield will be for their own consumption.
In the eco-tourism project 20 beneficiaries (youngsters) from Worja Washgula and Kamo Gerbi area have been trained to serve tourists and visitors of the Worja hill eco-center. The area is known for its abundant birdlife and fantastic views. At the opening ceremony more than 200 people attended and enjoyed the cultural foods and of course the famous Ethiopian coffee ‘macchiato’, that are now served daily at the eco-huts. A 100,000 ETB seed capital injection enables the members to run their own business and take responsibility to preserve the 200 hectares of reforested land. Bylaws (legal documents and rules) that will help them to sustainably manage and utilization the micro-catchment area, are being developed with the help of VoCDA and IDH.
