The Addis Ababa City Administration's Public Participation and Volunteer Service Commission announced that volunteer efforts in the city have covered an estimated 12 billion Birr worth of activities so far in the 2017 Ethiopian calendar year.
Biniyam Gicha, Team Leader for Volunteerism Promotion at the Commission, told F.M. Addis 97.1 that millions of volunteers are participating in various programs. These include the Green Legacy Initiative, renovating homes for the less fortunate, constructing schools, peacebuilding, and other volunteer initiatives.
He further stated that through 19 volunteer programs conducted in Addis Ababa in 2017 EC, over 1.1 million citizens have benefited.
Over the past five years, volunteers have renovated and built more than 39,000 homes in the city.
Biniyam emphasized that these volunteer services have fostered a culture of solidarity and mutual support. He noted that "meal sharing" ceremonies, involving investors, government institutions, and private organizations, account for the largest share of participation among the volunteer programs.
He also indicated that efforts to strengthen residents' social responsibility and boost their participation in volunteer services will continue.
Gemechis Iticha, Lead Executive for National Peace Volunteer Service at the Ministry of Peace, for his part, recalled the crucial role volunteers played in peacebuilding, indigenous conflict resolution, and fostering a generation that believes in dialogue.
He highlighted that numerous volunteer services have been provided, including meal-sharing programs, free health screenings, free tutorial classes, and home renovations for vulnerable individuals.