CCRDA/ CORE Group Ethiopia hands over

 motorbikes to partners

CCRDA/ CORE Group Ethiopia handed over 21 motorbikes it purchased at a cost of over 1.6 million Birr to its local and international partners that are implementing “‘Begara’ for Malaria Free Society Project” in various parts of the country.

 Executive Director of CCRDA, Dr. Meshesha Shewarega, and Director of CORE Group Ethiopia, Dr. Filimona Bisrat handed over the motorbikes to the beneficiary organizations at a ceremony held here at CCRDA headquarters on May 17, 2012.

Dr. Meshesha handing over the motorbikes to beneficiaries

Speaking on the occasion, Executive Director of CCRDA, Dr. Meshesha Shewarega, said “‘Begara’ for a Malaria Free Society Project” that initially faced internal and external challenges has ultimately achieved remarkable successes at the end of the first year of the project thanks to the concerted efforts of concerned bodies.

The motorbikes will have a considerable contribution in enhancing the capacity of the Project Implementing Partners (PIPs) and facilitating their development interventions, he added.

 Though the motorbikes were originally planned to be handed over in the first quarter of the project implementation period, problems of financial transfer and procurement had delayed their delivery.

Begara for Malaria Free Society Project, which is being implemented through 14 local and international CSOs, is funded by the Global Fund-Round Eight Grant through the Federal Ministry of Health. The project focuses on awareness creation and public mobilization on malaria.

The awareness raising and public mobilization activities carried out by the PIPs have brought about higher service demand, which is currently faced with problems of logistics and supply shortage, some of the partners indicated on the occasion.

Dr. Filimona Bisrat, Director of CORE Group Ethiopia said on his part that CCRDA will lobby with the Federal Ministry of Health and other pertinent governmental organizations to solve the stated problems.

Call for Proposals

 The Ethiopia Social Accountability Program 2 (ESAP2)

The Ethiopia Social Accountability Program 2 (ESAP2) is a component of the Protection of Basic Services (PBS) project which is implemented by the Government of Ethiopia to contribute to expanding access and improving the quality of basic services in education, health, agriculture, water supply and sanitation, and rural roads delivered by sub-national governments, while continuing to deepen transparency and local accountability in service delivery. ESAP2 is funded through a World Bank administered Multi Donor Trust Fund, and aims to strengthen the use of social accountability tools, approaches and mechanisms by citizens and citizens groups, civil society organizations, local government officials and service providers as a means to make basic service delivery more equitable, effective, efficient, responsive and accountable.

The Management Agency (MA), which is responsible for the overall day-to-day management of the ESAP2 program, is pleased to announce the release of a Call for Proposal (CFP) for grants to Ethiopian Charities or Societies and Ethiopian Residents Charities including faith-based organizations (FBOs) and community-based organizations (CBOs) that have the capacity to quickly and efficiently implement social accountability projects. Working through subprojects in social accountability, ESAP2 will bring local governments and service providers into dialogue with citizens and their representation as an important step in working together in providing better quality public basic services.

Who Can Apply?

 ESAP2 is open to all registered Ethiopian Charities or Societies and Ethiopian Residents Charities (local NGOs, FBOs, CBOs etc.). Registered CSOs should develop project proposals individually or in partnership with other CSOs and apply for funding under the ESAP2 grant scheme. Applying CSOs are encouraged to collaborate with other CSOs that may have no prior experience with social accountability approaches but are keen to build their capacity in this area. Activities implemented by the CSOs need to be relevant to the aforementioned service sectors supported under PBS.