In March 2022, the CSO community platform members in Wolaita Sodo held a community conversation on two thematic issues.  The Sodo platform established and supported by British Counsel's implementing partner Emmanuel Development Association (EDA) is comprised of migrants, prospective migrants, and community representatives who are working to bring out grassroots voices on issues of migration of management.  In the conversation, the platform members discussed ways of enhancing resilience through job creation in Wolaita Sodo to reduce irregular migration and ways to improve the operations of private employment agencies. 

Under the first theme, members of the platform assessed the strengths and weaknesses of government employment schemes in the context of Wolaita Sodo and developed recommendations that among others include:  the importance of working to change the attitudes and skills of youth and ways of improving the micro and small enterprise job-creating schemes by taking consideration of the local situation.  The second theme dealt with ways of improving the work of private employment agencies, the participants mainly discussed the limitation in finding foreign employment through the agencies, the participants mainly discussed the limitation in finding foreign employment the agencies and formulated a number of recommendations regarding the issuance of travel documents and training that is offered to prospective migrant workers.

Emmanuel Development Association (EDA), in collaboration with the Geneva Global, has supported vulnerable children with its accelerated learning Program (ALFA). The program aims to bring positive change in children and their mother’s life by bringing these out of school children back to school and shorten the three years primary school curriculum to one year by applying accelerated learning strategies
Student Gudeta Hirpo Lenjiso was born in 2010 G.C/2003 E.C from his mother Kuftu Kumbi and his father Gudeta Hirpo in Oromia region, Dugda woreda at Giraba Korke Adi kebele. He is seventh child in his family and has three lower sisters and brothers too.
…Gudeta did not join school when he was seven (7) years old as any other children’s in his area because he is a hand cap and suffer from illness for half of his age said his mother. Now Gudeta is 11 years old.


The 2021 EDA ALFA intervention was one starting way to school for Gude. He was happy now his family were also too because, their child is now at school, not in the home and he is an amazing clever student in his class and he was scored an Av. of 79.5 (A/O=76, Maths=75, En.Science=82 & Geda= 85) in the first phase curriculum and have ranked 8th out of 30 students in his class but he needs strong psychological treatment to avoid his fear due to his disability.
There is one critical challenge to Gudeta now. He came to school not always by his effort but on back of his mother as a baby child. He needs our support to continuou his class yes, he needs our support!!

‘No matter how far life pushes you down no matter how much you hurt, you can always bounce back’’
George S.Patton.

Edilawet is a little girl with big dreams. She attends Atse Zerayakob Primary school in the city of Debre Berhan. The school was founded in 1934 and has a proud record of academic achievement. In the past, many graduates went on to university and professional careers.  Unfortunately, the school was unable to keep up with changing trends in education.

The text books became outdated and the administration could not afford to replace them or purchase the computers that were necessary for their high achieving students. There was no clean water source at the school and the pit privies were in poor repair.

Twenty years ago, Bekelech was a single mother who was unable to feed or educate her 4-year-old daughter. Her husband had been killed in the war and she could not find employment.
Bekelech dreamed of opening a stall in the local market in her impoverished neighbourhood near Addis Ababa. She was accepted into the EDA family help program and provided with business training and a start up grant of 3,300 Bir ($115 US) for initial rent payments and to purchase the grains that she would sell.
She worked hard to realize her goal and is proud of her achievements. Today, Bekelech is independent and financially stable. Her daughter was able to attend primary and secondary school and has recently graduated from university as an accountant.
Bekelech recognizes the work that she put into her business, but she is also grateful for the help and support provided by EDA. “I wouldn’t be the kind of person I am today without EDA”.

Before being supported by EDA, Almaz and her husband Kiflu were unable to feed themselves or their daughter. Almaz worked as a servant, and Kiflu was unemployed. They first came under the umbrella of EDA when their daughter was accepted into the family sponsorship program.

Three years ago, a group of seven unemployed women approached EDA with the goal of starting a community savings and credit association (SAC). They formed a self-help group and were approved for intensive training in business management and financial management and savings.


The Kuloberet Savings and Credit Association now has 132 members. Members deposit 10 Bir ($3 US) a week and after the first year,

When Meaza completed Grade 10 two years ago, she was one of 100 at-risk youth who were selected for the EDA Youth Livelihood program. She was given vocational training in leather work, small business skills and business and personal finance. Meaza used her $750 US seed funding to purchase a leather sewing machine and supplies.


Meaza’s tiny shop has been open for seven months. She creates and sews high-quality, original leather purses, belts and cosmetic bags, which she sells to stores and handicraft shops. The business is already showing a small profit and Meaza is able to support herself and

When Yetimwork lost her nephew and his wife to disease, she took over the care of their small son. Life was difficult; she had little income and lived in a simple, one-room rental house. There was a small shed on her rental property as well as a walled yard. Yetima was sure that she could

Seven years ago, Shitaye was among the poorest of the poor in the Akika-Kaliti slum neighbourhood of Addis Ababa. She had no income, and she struggled to support herself and her disabled husband.  Shitaye was accepted into a bio-gas cafeteria income generating program run by EDA. This innovative program addresses sanitation, environmental and nutrition needs, while providing women with employment. The facility includes public washrooms and showers and a small restaurant.  The bio-gas captured from the toilets fuels the stoves in the restaurant.