Red Cross striving for a better future of returnees
With support from the Danish Red Cross, the Ethiopian Red Cross Society (ERCS) is providing livelihood assistance, psychosocial support and safe space services to vulnerable returnees in Asgede tsimbla, Debark and Shirka woredas of Tigray, Amhara and Oromia Regional States.
Launched back in 2018, The ‘Assistance & Resilience to Vulnerable Returnees & their Communities’ project aims at enhancing livelihood opportunities and social cohesion of returnees and host communities.
The four years project has so far reached 354 returnees with livelihood support initiatives in addition to safe space services and psychosocial support to thousands of returnees and host communities.
Consequently, beneficiaries are engaged in commercial activities including cattle breeding & fattening, small retailing businesses, restaurants, coffee shops, fodder supply among others in groups and individually.
Coming mostly from the Middle East, the returnees receive a startup capital for the businesses of their choice. Accordingly, the project has dispersed an initial capital to each beneficiary amounting to 426 USD in 2018 & 536 USD in 2019, respectively.
“The Red Cross makes a study of each case. We conduct a market assessment, beneficiary selection and purchase of items required for each beneficiary in collaboration with local government officials and community engagement and accountability committee members. Beneficiaries participate in a training meant to strengthen their project ideas and transform them into a business plan with a long-term vision” Says ERCS Planning, Monitoring, Evaluation & Reporting Senior Officer, Daniel Yohannes.
Rehima Menza is a resident of Shirka Woreda of Arsi Zone in Oromia Regional State. She returned home from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia after irregularly entering that country looking for a greener pasture which was never easy.
“After returning home, I really wished to start a business of my own. But that was only a dream as I had nothing,” recalls Rehima.
“The Red Cross helped me open a restaurant. Not only that, but they also gave me a technical support in which I greatly improved my business plan. I am satisfied with what I have achieve so far. I have even bought three sheep and a heifer with the profits.”
Rehima now eyes at expanding her restaurant.
“The cheerful greetings and care that returnees receive upon their arrival is decisive for their general wellbeing,” says Daniel Yohannes. “The Society provides them with non-food items and sanitation kits since they are often come empty-handed.”
Solomon Asrade and Mulu Yayne are a frequent ERCS safe space users at Debark and Asgede tsimbila (Endabaguna) woredas who returned from Sudan and Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
They said that the safe space service is enabling them to not only play indoor and outdoor games and use free Wi-Fi, but also provide an opportunity to interact with other people in their community, which is helping to be free from stress and depression. “ERCS staffs and volunteers strive on serving us, they encourage us and give us advice on reintegration.”
Promoting the resilience of returnees and host communities through various interventions, the project is believed to have induced positive transformation in the lives of many. Cognizant of that, the project which has so far served 36,189 direct and 181,455 indirect beneficiaries aims to better engage in effective participation of women and equal leadership opportunities in its four years of project span.