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Women Empowerment through Skill Training is one of the program
components undertaken to build the capacities of women through different skill trainings. The project profoundly aims to improve the lives of disadvantaged women, thereby improving children’s and overall societal well-being. It is one of successful projects that Abebech Gobena Charity carries out.
From 22 round training programs, all rounds have been funded by Menchen für Menchen Switzerland. Furthermore, it has contracted agreement with Abebech Gobena Charity to continue financing the life-changing project, Women Empowerment through Skill Training in the future.
To empower destitute women through skill training Abebech Gobena Charity established Food preparation and Catering Training center in July 2002. Currently the center recruits women living in difficult circumstances such as survival sex workers, street girls, victims of sexual violence, abused women who returned from Arab Countries and others.
The center offers different training courses for six months for trainees. The courses include modern food preparation, cultural food preparation, catering, children care and housekeeping in theoretical and practical sessions. It also includes other supportive courses such as family planning, reproductive health, hygiene, environmental and sanitation, HIV/AIDS prevention and control methods, life skill and basic business plan, and fire hazard prevention and control.
To date, 3,420 young women were graduated in 36 consecutive rounds form the center. Currently 37th round of the training is going on in which 162 women have been taking part.
Many of the previous graduates have been employed in government and private institutions, hotels, and at household level with better salary. The Association provides funds for some HIV positive graduates who have organize themselves and involve in income generating activities.
The generous financial support and encouragement of Menchen für Menchen Switzerland together with Abebech Gobena Charity’s devotion is now brightening the life of many women in so problematic situations.
To assist the Organization to attain its objective to assist disadvantaged women, it has implemented many different activities since its establishment to ensure they are economically empowered. These activities include saving and credit schemes, training on micro business, provision of seed money, Community Self Support Saving Groups (CSSSG) or Village Saving and Loan Associations (VSLAs), provision of sheep, market development including market shelter construction and shower service center.
283 economically disadvantaged women of Addis Ababa, Burayou, Guder and Birbirsa project sites have benefited from saving and credit service with the allocated budget of birr 250,000 revolving fund.
Upwards of 5000 women and men are involved in the Village Saving and Loan Groups across Addis Ababa, Burayou and Ambo and Toke Kuttaye Woredas. These Groups have gone on to great success in providing a foundation for people to start business to increase revenue or to allow for saving to send children to school or build shelters.
Previously Abebech Gobena Charity provided livestock to women within different regions within the North Shoa Zone of Oromia Regional State. These include sheep and heifers. Those provided with the livestock also received training in relation to their growing and management.
To provide security as well as a safe and clean environment to trade
Abebech Gobena Charity has built 3 blocks of market shelters containing 36 partitioned market stalls in Addis Ababa. This has provided a better work environment for 36 new business owners. Moreover, training on Basic Business Skill has also been provided to these stall holders and 50 other petty traders.
To enable the People Living with HIV/AIDS Association (PLWHA Association) to derive an income Abebech Gobena Charity built a public shower facility which allows the public to bathe, at a cost. This facility is managed and run by the members of PLWHA Association who distribute the monies to those in need.
