Ahead and GBF Receive Funding
For a Resource Centre in
Jimma
Joint Press Release by Ahead and GBF
OTTAWA (February 27, 2002) -- The Canadian Embassy in Ethiopia has
approved funding in the amount of 150,000 Birr for a Resource Centre in Jimma,
expected to open soon. The Centre is to
supplement the service of a small public library in Jimma run by the Ministry
of Social Affairs and to cater to a larger community of university and other
students and the public.
The funding is a result
of a joint proposal submitted to the Canadian Embassy by two partner
organizations - the Getachew Bolodia Foundation (GBF) and the Association for
Higher Education and Development (AHEAD). AHEAD has contributed an additional
12,000 Birr for the same project. GBF will also make additional financial and
other contributions.
The
GBF, a non-political and non-profit
making body registered under
Ethiopian law as an independent Foundation. GBF will be responsible
for the project implementation and financial management of the Resource Centre
in Jimma. Ahead will continue to provide the necessary support so that the
Centre becomes fully operational and remains effective so that it provides
relevant services to students and the public in Jimma.
AHEAD, located in
Ottawa, Canada, was established in 1999 to organize, coordinate and channel the
contributions of Ethiopians in the Diaspora to assist in the capacity building
of higher academic institutions in Ethiopia. Currently, AHEAD has a book
shipment and a bursary program for medical students in Jimma, Gondar and Addis
Ababa.
In establishing the
Jimma Resource Centre GBF and AHEAD with the support of the Canadian Embassy in
Ethiopia, would like to set an example so that similar other facilities can be
opened in different parts of Ethiopia. Similar centres may be established in
the future in Gondar and Addis Ababa where the two partners have on-going
fellowship programs for medical students. GBF is also implementing a fellowship
program for AAU pharmacy students in partnership with the Fasil Hailu
Family. A fellowship scheme for science
students has just been launched funded by Fana Mahber, a group based in Toronto
that is also closely associated with AHEAD.
AHEAD President
Temesghen Hailu said that the Jimma Resource Centre is a partnership initiative
between the Canadian Embassy, GBF and AHEAD. He hoped that other Ethiopian
communities would follow the AHEAD example to work in partnership with local
organizations in undertaking projects that respond to the needs of Ethiopians.
For further
information, please visit our web site at: www.aheadonline.org
The above is a
Joint Press Release by AHEAD and GBF
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