The foundations of democracy in a country are the existence of democratic institutions and democratic views.
Build Trust and Restore People to People Relations Between Garage and Qebena Communities in and Around Wolkite Town
The Gurage and Qebena communities have coexisted and were close neighbors for generation and has been in a same administrative zone since 1995.
Fostering Social Cohesion and Peace Among Amhara and Tigray People and North Shewa and Oromo Special Administrative Zone of Amhara Regional State/Sustainable Peace Activities
There are no two ethnic groups in Ethiopia like Amhara and Tigray who speaks languages of a very closest derivatives. Amhara and Tigrayans are Semitic language-speaking people who shares a lot in common such as alphabet and history than any other groups in the country.
Training to Peace Council Members
Center of Concern, in partnership with USAID/OTI, conducted an interactive three-day capacity-building workshop for 120 Peace Council members from Wondo Genet and Wondo districts, focusing on peacebuilding and conflict management strategies to promote peaceful dialogue and ensure a smooth election process, while also equipping participants with mobile devices to enhance communication and collaboration.
New Project in Moyale Districts
Center of Concern, partnering with PACT Ethiopia, has launched the “Cash for Community Cohesion” project in Moyale districts of Oromia and Somali regions, aiming to boost household incomes, enhance food security, and foster social cohesion among 815 selected households from diverse communities through targeted cash assistance and livelihood improvement initiatives.
Emergency Response to IDPs in North Gondar
Center of Concern implemented a comprehensive emergency response initiative in North Gondar zone, providing essential food and non-food items to 700 internally displaced households, including 300 girl-focused families, through support from the Canadian Fund for Local Initiative and Malala Fund, while ensuring collaborative stakeholder engagement throughout the distribution process.
Peace Building and Conflict Management
Center of Concern has actively responded to the ongoing ethnic conflicts and instability in Ethiopia over the past five years by implementing crucial peace-building initiatives, including awareness creation sessions, community discussions, and capacity building programs, made possible through the support of funding partners and aimed at fostering dialogue and understanding between diverse groups to contribute towards lasting peace and stability in the region.
Civic and Voters Education
Center of Concern is implementing a vital civic education program in Sidama Regional State, leveraging local radio broadcasts in Sidamu Afo and Amharic to reach over 500,000 community members with essential information on democratic principles and human rights, aiming to empower citizens, especially marginalized groups, to actively participate in governance processes and the upcoming Ethiopian general election, with financial support from the International Republican Institute.
Child Empowerment and Protection
Center of Concern-Hawassa is addressing the complex issue of street children through multiple targeted initiatives, including the “Child Empowerment and Protection” project funded by Goal Ethiopia, which operates a Drop-in and Rehabilitation Center providing daytime services and support for street-connected children and youth, and a Child Transition House offering comprehensive care and education for orphans and vulnerable children, with a focus on girls’ scholarships supported by Edget Baandnet.
Building Local Capacities for Democracy
The intervention aims to build a new structure and system where protection of the rights of citizens is front and center in the covid-19 pandemic response.