By: Shegaw Yemtaw
The European Union has renewed its commitment to supporting women and youth in rural and disaster affected regions of Ethiopia today with the launch of a new initiative.
The EMPOWER: Empowering Futures for youth and Women Beyond Agriculture project focuses on equipping women and youth with essential tools to thrive in the rural and disaster affected regions of Afar, Tigray and Oromia.
Funded by the European Union, the initiative is implemented by People in Need (PIN), in collaboration with Ayuda en Accion ( AeA) and the Development Expertise Center( DEC).
The launch event brought together a diverse group of stakeholders, including high level representative from Ethiopian federal ministries, leaders from the private sector, the Czech development agency, European union and international organizations, all demonstrating a shared vision for growth and empowerment in Ethiopia.
Ethiopia faces ongoing issues such as land degradation, climate change and high unemployment rates particularly among women and youth.
The EMPOWER initiative which will be implemented from 2025 to 2027, addresses these challenges by offering technical skill development, sustainable economic opportunities and environmental resilience, besides providing comprehensive solutions, ensuring food and nutrition security and enhancing livelihood resilience in Afar, Tigray and Oromia communities.
The EU sustainable development strategy recognizes that poverty, inequalities and exclusion are among the greatest challenges that need to be addressed to achieve inclusive and sustainable development.
The objective is to enhance resilience of the population through inclusive skills development and decent job creation by improving education, financial access and climate resilience.
Since 2003, people in need has supported Ethiopian communities facing challenges. Together with Ayuda en Accion and the development expertise centet, the EMPOWER project aims to achieve sustainable development and support human dignity.