Ethiopia (2025 until 2026)
Water donkeys & income through vegetable cultivation
Background
The project aims to improve the disadvantaged situation of women and girls in rural areas of Ethiopia. Due to traditional role models, limited educational opportunities, and a lack of resources, women and girls have very limited participation in social and economic life. One of the main reasons for this is that girls are entrusted with household chores such as fetching water and caring for family members from a very young age. In addition, women are married off at an early age. All of this means that they rarely attend school or drop out. As a result, almost 50% of women have no formal education. Employment opportunities beyond unpaid field work are therefore very limited. These problems are closely linked to the very poor water supply in rural Ethiopia. Water sources are often far away and difficult to access. The task of fetching water traditionally falls to women and girls, which is physically demanding and robs them of valuable time for school or productive activities.
The project addresses these challenges by facilitating access to water and creating new income opportunities. The distribution of donkeys as water carriers—a proven method that the Water Foundation has been using for many years—significantly reduces the time-consuming task of transporting water. This enables girls and women to focus more on education or income-generating activities. The project supports them in the latter with training and materials for vegetable cultivation. Growing vegetables not only improves nutrition, but also offers the opportunity to sell products at local markets, earn their own money, and increase family income. The donkeys are also a great help with irrigation and gardening, as well as transporting vegetables to local markets.
Project location
The project is being implemented in two villages (kebeles) in the district (woreda) of Ilu in the Southwest Shewa Zone of the Oromia Region: Wererso Kelina, Bili Kebele, Wasarbi Basi and Buti Talgothat. The location is about 70 km southwest of the capital Addis Ababa. The partner organization Facilitator for Change has been working in the area for years and is therefore well connected within the local structures.
Project beneficiaries
The project targets 400 women who are organized into 20 self-help groups and are given the means to earn their own income. With an average household size of five, a total of around 2,500 people will benefit from the measures.
Project objective
The project aims to improve the living conditions of families in rural areas of Ethiopia. By distributing donkeys to women, the physical burden of transporting water is reduced and their economic independence is promoted. They gain time for growing vegetables, with the project supporting them through the establishment of self-help groups, training, and materials.
Project activities
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Provision of donkeys: Distribution of donkeys and water canisters to 200 women to facilitate water transport, save time, and reduce physical strain. The women are also trained in how to handle and care for the animals.
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Establishment of self-help groups (SHGs): Identification of 400 women who will be organized into 20 groups. The groups promote joint learning, internal microcredits, and regular exchange, strengthen social capital, and provide a platform for mutual support. The SHGs are equipped with logbooks and other materials to support them in their activities.
- Training on income generation: Training on topics such as business management, accounting, and sales strategies to promote income generation.
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Support for vegetable cultivation: Provision of seeds (e.g., onions, carrots) and tools such as watering cans and hoes. Training and technical support from experts promote cultivation for personal use and sale.
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Exchange of experiences & public events: Visits to existing SHGs to learn from their experiences and successes and to exchange strategies. The groups also present their successes at public events to promote women’s participation and motivate other community members.
Local partner organization
Facilitator for Change (FC) is an Ethiopian NGO with no religious, political or governmental affiliation. It was founded in Ethiopia with the vision of strengthening prosperity and resilience, especially in rural communities. Since its foundation in 1998, the NGO has carried out countless projects in the areas of women’s empowerment, income diversification and agricultural development. The Water Foundation has been working closely with FC since 2021 and has developed a successful and trusting partnership.
