Ethiopia

Pact is implementing WORTH in Ethiopia as components of two larger education and empowerment programs funded by USAID and the Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA). 

Pact has recently started another WORTH program in Ethiopia and Tanzania funded by the Oak Foundation that focuses on protecting children from abuse and sexual exploitation.

Name: Child Protection and Women’s Socio-Economic Empowerment Program
Duration: November 2008 – October 2010
Countries: Ethiopia and Tanzania
Donor(s): Oak Foundation

The project seeks to increase the protection and care of vulnerable children from abuse in general, and sexual abuse in particular, through the provision of information and training on child protection for women participating in WORTH groups and other community members.

• In Ethiopia, the goal is to promote knowledge, awareness and practice of protecting children from abuse and exploitation among targeted women and their families in 11 Woredas, reaching 9000 women and 14,000 children in Oromiya, Amhara, and SNNP.
• In Tanzania, the project will amplify child protection in 2 Mara districts and 1 Kagera district by establishing 120 WORTH groups (3,000 women) to improve the economic status of families with vulnerable children and the care, protection and services of such children.

Name: Transforming Education for Adults and Children in the Hinterland (TEACH)
Duration: November 2004 - September 2009
Donor(s): USAID

Name: Enhancing Civil Society Working in HIV/AIDS and Reproductive Health (Metebaber)
Duration: September 2004 – December 2010
Donor(s): SIDA

As an integral component of TEACH, a USAID-funded adult functional literacy program, WORTH offers women literacy as well as numeracy and the skills need to form a village bank with their groups.

In the SIDA-funded Metebaber, Enhancing Civil Society Working in HIV/AIDS and Reproductive Health program, WORTH is integrated into the overall strategy and focuses on strengthening women's economic standing and confidence through literacy and numeracy.

Emerging results:

• The WORTH program is currently reaching over 9,000 women in 398 groups
• The groups have saved a total of 790,533 Birr, over $80,000
• The majority of WORTH groups have completed the first book in the WORTH series, Our Group, and are now learning how to transform their groups into Village Banks.
• 308 groups have started making loans