Achieving Reduction of Child Labor in Support of Education (ARISE) Project
With funding from JTI, Emmanuel Development Association (EDA) is implementing the ARISE project to eliminate child labor by raising awareness, strengthening regulatory frameworks, facilitating joint labor inspections, and expanding educational opportunities for vulnerable children in South Ethiopia and Sidama Regions.
Key achievements include the construction of two classrooms and gender-segregated latrines at Abya Guricho Kebele in Wolayta Zone with over ETB 3 million investment; equipping six primary schools with furniture, blackboards, bookshelves, textbooks, and exercise books, benefiting 3,335 children; sensitizing 600 community members on the dangers of child labor through circus performances and music festivals; and training 115 key government officials from justice, police, social and labor, women and children, education, economy, and finance sectors on legal frameworks, child labor inspections, and action plan development.
Through these combined awareness, education, and regulatory strengthening interventions, the ARISE project is contributing to improved child protection systems, expanded educational access, and stronger government capacity to prevent and respond to child labor across South Ethiopia and Sidama Regions.
Key Activities & Deliverables
Educational Access & Infrastructure Development
- Targeted School Construction: Invested over ETB 3 million to construct two new classrooms alongside gender-segregated latrine facilities at Abya Guricho Kebele in the Wolayta Zone.
- School Resource Provision: Fully equipped six primary schools with learning and classroom essentials—including desks, chairs, blackboards, bookshelves, textbooks, and exercise books—directly benefiting 3,335 children.
Community Engagement & Child Labor Advocacy
- Creative Awareness Campaigns: Sensitized 600 community members on the hidden dangers and legal implications of child labor utilizing interactive circus performances and live music festivals.
Regulatory Capacity & Enforcement Training
- Multi-Sectoral Governance Training: Trained 115 frontline government officials across the justice, police, labor and social affairs, women and children, education, and finance sectors.
- Inspection Systems: Focused capacity-building efforts on standardizing legal frameworks, improving local child labor inspections, and co-developing regional action plans across the South Ethiopia and Sidama Regions.
