Immediate projects:
Kinder Garden:
To guarantee success and bring long lasting results, it is apparent that we must start investing in our children. DAF, therefore, is building the first Kindergarten in the Woreda. We believe this approach will bring a continuity of today’s self reliance initiative for future generation and the beginning creating well cared environment for future talents.
The site already chosen has a newly constructed two classrooms type of structure made of a corrugated iron roofing laid on an eucalyptus stick frame structure , with the walls filled with mud and straw.
During the visit of the site, it appeared that the location for the school was correct and the size and layout of the newly built classroom of an acceptable standard. The architects commented however that the construction system and the structure were of ephemeral nature and that with the help of technical advice, a more appropriate structure for the walls and roof frame could be developed.
It has then been suggested that a new two classroom unit could be built next to the existing one, using “ameliorated” appropriate technologies to be proposed by the visiting team. Once constructed the new classrooms can replace the old ones which in turn would then be re-constructed according to the lessons learned from the “ameliorated” typology.
Supporting a kindergarten in Amdework by providing all the required materials including two computers, with the support of a donor from the USA, known as W.K. Kellogg Foundation. This has been successfully implemented.
Guest House Services/Lodge:
Dehana Woreda is extraordinarily physically isolated inhabited by rural farmers. The capital, Amdework is only connected to Sekota, the Zone capital by dirt track road that often is difficult to use during the rainy season. The town is extremely underdeveloped and no guest house service is available to date. Therefore, DAF is planning to build a Guest House, which will be useful for hosting National and International visitors. We believe providing acceptable shelter is a basic step to attract visitors; friends of Amdework to the woreda. In order to facilitate tourism, the foundation is collaborating with Belgian non-profit construction organization to build a Guest House, which will be the first in the woreda.
Preliminary design report of the guest house answers the necessity of welcoming visitors in Dehana-Amdework. The current accessibility to the town is limited to one sinuous track linking through mountain landscape to Sekota, difficult to drive in one day return. Current requirement is to provide overnight stay for officials, NGO’s and temporary accommodation for teachers, specialists or visiting families. The team of Local Solutions Development Group has also identified the potential benefit for family reunions, celebrations, weddings as well as a potential for Eco-Tourism.
Tourism:
Dehana –Amdework is geographically located further away form roads and major towns/cities. The community has no contact to the outside World. The majority of the population has no access to any technology. The majority of the population had not seen cars, bikes late alone the latest technologies.
Therefore, it is apparent, the development of tourism is essential to close the gap between the Dehana-Amdework communities to the rest of the World. Not to mention, the World will have access to the beautiful land escapes, genuine culture, and historical places.
Honey Production:
Traditionally, Dehana-Amdework has been a home of testy and organic honey. Honey is widely used for making Teji( Ethiopia’s oldest locally fermented honey wine). This product, however, has not been fully exploited for better production and marketability. Therefore, with the collaboration of friendly organizations and experts, DAF will work on improving the production in the Woreda.
We believe, through modern honey producing methods, infrastructures, and marketing strategies, the community will increase its income generating capacities.
Livestock management:
Dehana-Amdework region has always been known for its enormity of cattle population. DAF will work to improve the livestock management in the Woreda and develop a marketing strategy to assist local farmers sale their cattle in the national and international market.
DAF will continue to expand and develop knowledge base approaches to add new products like oil seed that will reflects the resources of the Woreda. In the public services arena, DAF will explore E-learning, Vocational Skills Development and Water and Sanitation
We believe, by simply introducing a modern system to improve livestock ranches, the Woreda will be able to market out, large number of ox, cows, sheep, goats and other domestic animals for local and regional use.