Abraham's Oasis

2012 Second Quarter Report

1. General Information

Abraham's Oasis - CSA No. 0905 - Tel +251 (0) 911 56 22 44 - E. [email protected] - W. www.abrahamsoasis.org 1.1. Program Title, Location and Duration

Program Name Sustainable Opportunities for Women and Children Country/Region/Province/Specific , Tigray, Northwestern Zone, Woreda: Location , , Medebaye Zana, , Lalay Adiabo, Tahtay Adiabo, Ketema: Shire-Endaselassie and Duration Jan 2010 – Dec. 2012

1.2. Agency Details

Name Abraham’s Oasis Address PO Box 64, Shire- Endaselasse, Tigray, Ethiopia

Principal Contact Officer Catharina van den Bosch Telephone 0345590477 / 0911 56 22 44 Email [email protected] Website www.abrahamsoasis.org

1.3. Logo and Name

A simple three palm tree image, sketched locally in Shire, will be used as the logo on letter heads and documents and the registered and published name is Abraham’s Oasis.

2. Introduction

Abraham’s Oasis seeks to be consistent in its dealings with the vulnerable and marginalized groups thus treating each individually and dealing with each person as special and one of a kind.

The year 2012 has brought about changes in Abraham’s Oasis; we have eliminated mid level management giving more responsibility to experts in their fields. In 2011 we were able to employ degree holders who were able to quickly understand the task at hand and to create a sense of ownership leading to some encouraging and innovative ideas that have improved our services to the vulnerable and marginalized population of the designated catchment area.

2.1. Description of Abraham’s Oasis

Abraham's Oasis - CSA No. 0905 - Tel +251 (0) 911 56 22 44 - E. [email protected] - W. www.abrahamsoasis.org Abraham’s Oasis is a registered Ethiopian Resident Charitable Society (Registration Number 0905) with the Charities and Societies Agency of the Ministry of Justice of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia.

Abraham’s Oasis does not discriminate between employees on the basis of race, religion, colour, sex, age, national origin, disability, veteran status, marital status, or any other category or condition protected by applied Ethiopian law in determining the suitability for employment, compensation, promotion, transfers, training, education, social and recreational programs or termination thereof.

2.2. Justification

The lonely, the abandoned, the orphaned, neglected or unaccompanied child can do little in and of him/herself. Adult supervision, care, schooling and nurturing are essential otherwise the vulnerable and marginalized child becomes yet another statistic for death, disability or delinquency.

In addition to the children are the women who with their children often stand unaided becoming quickly another vulnerable group. The woman aho has no part5ner or a violent partner without any extended family may have entrusted herself along with her family to a family member who in turn violates that trust. This group is also prone to maternal health related problems further reducing the productive mother and her children to penury so ill health is exacerbated.

2.3. Target Groups

Orphans and Vulnerable Children Vulnerable and Marginalized Females

3. Vision, Mission, Goal, Objectives and Demographics

3.1. Vision

“Sustainable opportunities for the vulnerable and marginalized”

3.2. Mission

“Generating a sustainable environment whereby social, economic and cultural integration of the said marginalized and vulnerable will occur; strengthening them

Abraham's Oasis - CSA No. 0905 - Tel +251 (0) 911 56 22 44 - E. [email protected] - W. www.abrahamsoasis.org through farming, childcare, basic maternal health and gender awareness that will result in dignity and independence of the individual and eventually the whole community.”

3.3. Goal

To reach and assist target groups in and around North-Western Zone of Tigray, Ethiopia in order to re-establish individual dignity and independence.

3.4. Objectives

• To safeguard the basic needs of the orphaned, abandoned, vulnerable, ostracized and / or troubled child through schooling and basic supplies. • To ensure a future for the residential child care at Grace Village ◦ By providing good education at Grace School ◦ By income generation activities created from Grace Farm. • To reinforce local elementary schools with sustainable projects • To provide education for the visually, hearing, psychologically and physically impaired children at Grace School • To mediate for vulnerable women’s groups with self help focal groups • To strengthen maternal health through health education and clean delivery kit support • To raise awareness and facilitate for women with obstetric fistulae

3.5. Demographics

Abraham’s Oasis is in Tigray, the northern most region of Ethiopia, bordering Sudan to the west and Eritrea to the north, with Gondar to the southwest and the historic town of Axum to the east.

The Abraham’s Oasis main office is five kilometers from Shire town, in the North- Western Zone of Tigray with a rural population of 912,348 with 230,640 being women of reproductive age and 363,096 under the age of 14 years, representing over half the population of the area.

4. Activity Reports

4.1. Administration and Finance

SN Activity /Administration M F All Remarks 1 No. New Staff 1 2 3 Working well

Abraham's Oasis - CSA No. 0905 - Tel +251 (0) 911 56 22 44 - E. [email protected] - W. www.abrahamsoasis.org 2 No. Internal Transfers - - - 3 No. Resignations 1 1 2 4 No. End of Contracts 10 1 11 Contractual 5 Total number on payroll 31 21 52 satisfactory 6 Total No. Staff off sick / days sick leave 6 6 12 35 days off sick 7 Total number absence for other reasons 2 - 2 Mourning leave 8 No. Days - Staff taken unpaid leave 1 - 1 Leaving

Our domestic staff are able to transitionwithin the agency having been trained to work in the kitchen, laundry or as cleaners. This way they are able to cover for each other when on leave or in the event of illness.

SN Finance for quarter Incoming Outgoing 1 Beginning Balance (2012) 2033904.62 1185485.44 2 Quarter 1483555.92 1114188.06 3 Ending Balance 3517460.54 2299673.5

4.2. Grace Village

Activity / Village M F All Remarks No. New children this qtr 1 2 3 Tahtay Adiabo No. Food supplies 31 34 65 No. Clothes given 20 34 54 Older children buy their own No. Disciplined - - - Mostly resolved No. Counselled 7 3 10 Improved outcome No. Given Development activities 31 34 65 No provided recreational activities 31 34 65 No. Water supply and sanitation 31 34 65 No. Staff (Nannies / Big brothers) 2 5 7 Assist with childcare Meetings with Social Affairs Office - - 5

Successes noted this quarter is that all the residential children have passed to the next grade in school. They are healthy and growing well. Triplet newborn babies were admitted to our care. Two of the three had health issues that were addressed in hospital in Shire, Axum and Addis Ababa. At the time of reporting they are much improved.

Constraints this quarter has been the lack of excellence of care for small babies in the local health facilities. In addition to this we had some misunderstanding between our organisation and the Social Affairs who referred the triplet newborn babies to us. After the initial request to 'take the children', they then wanted them to be again transferred to another agency in Mekelle so that they could be processed for adoption. This was resolved through negotiation with Social Affairs Bureau in Mekelle who supports the new Federal level initiative to find local solutions for vulnerable children and keep them close to family. The babies' father has visited the children and was pleased to know they

Abraham's Oasis - CSA No. 0905 - Tel +251 (0) 911 56 22 44 - E. [email protected] - W. www.abrahamsoasis.org are nearby; we were able to assure him that we would give the best possible care for his children and he could visit them whenever he wanted to.

The story behind these babies is as follows: Their mother also an orpahn herself, died after giving them birth to them. They were referred to the local health centre where rapid initiative has spared their lives because the three babies were immediately sent our organisation with a letter from the Social Affairs asking us to care for them. We were able to provide neonatal support and have enabled them to survive until the time of writing at aged two months. One baby has had surgery for Hirschsprung Disease, two have had early sepsis and were treated for this. Near the end of the quarter the same two caught pneumonia due to their prematurity and are just now completing treatment for it.

4.5. Grace Farm

Activity / Grace Farm M F All Outcomes Staff 1 0 1 Apprentices 5 0 5 Barn development - - - In process Sheep purchased to date 0 0 0 Pregnant Ewes - - - Lambs - - - Land cultivated Amount sown Produced Alfalfa 2.5 KG From 1.5 – 1.75 ton

Elephant grass transplanted 3 locations

Trees (define species) - - - In July

After much consideration of what species of sheep to purchase, the small study done for local preferences and review of availibility of Begait sheep, we have concluded that the best way forward is to buy local fat tailed sheep. We were able to see some Begait Sheep in Lalaey Adiabo and they appeared sickly.

The terrain around Sheraro and Tahtay Koraro are in fact somewhat different and our understanding is that the local sheep seem to cope just fine in this environment. In time we may experiment with some cross-breeding but for now we will simply acquire healthy young local ewes and rams for breeding and eventually breed in twinning for carefully selected ewes and rams.

In the meantime, we have been modifying the barn to make it fit for some 75 – 100 animals. The lack of water (now resolved) delayed work. Grassland have been burn off allowing good green grass to grow through. Seed beds have been prepared for alfalfa and elephant grass.

Abraham's Oasis - CSA No. 0905 - Tel +251 (0) 911 56 22 44 - E. [email protected] - W. www.abrahamsoasis.org

Holes await transplanting of trees. The water reservoirs have been cleaned and repaired for water storage. A well in the valley is being dug for eventual back up at the village and farm.

The current plan is to develop Grace Village, School and Farm into a 'green place'and create a viable sheep farm over the next five years.

4.5. Grace Integrated School

Activity M F All No of teachers/ nursery workers (staff) - 3 3 No. Nursery babies 3 5 8 No. Pre-school children (KG) 7 8 15 No of teachers – Certificate (staff) 2 1 3 No. Teachers – Diploma (staff) 1 - 1 Adult education No. Teachers – Degree (staff) 10 1 11 No. Primary (1-8) 21 24 45 No. Secondary (9-10) 4 3 7 No. Hearing-impaired children - 2 2 No. Visually-impaired children 1 2 3 No. Physically-impaired children 1 2 3 No. Children 11 th and 12 th grade /Shire 3 - 3

This has been a successful quarter resulting in all children passing their examinations even those who face huge challenges due to various impairments. They have all been promoted up to the next grade. All stakeholders have been directly involved in this excellent outcome encouraging teachers and students alike to excellence. We await the national examination results for the 8 th and 10 th grade students.

Another point of success has been that as a whole the former constraints have been largely overcome and dealt with in a comprehensive manner leading to improved behaviour and development of the children in school. Tha majority of teachers have demostrated loyalty to the charity and we look forward to seeing them back for the new school year.

The children have a special rainy season programme lined up for them over the rainy season. The children who board with us have now gone home to be with their families.

4.6. Elementary School Support

Abraham's Oasis - CSA No. 0905 - Tel +251 (0) 911 56 22 44 - E. [email protected] - W. www.abrahamsoasis.org

Activity M F All Outcomes Degana School T.K. Woreda Phase One, (10,000 EB) 573 632 1205 Completed but not as per proposal Phase Two (20,000 EB) 571 613 1184 Proposal approved Phase Three (20,000 EB) 571 613 1184 To be supplied upon completion of phase 2

The Phase Two part of the project progresses well; the retail shop has been productive due to good administration in the school this quarter along with the community. Total income has been 3,300 EB. The Committee now plan to buy equipment for the shop adding value to the Adi-gidad community.

The one weak point is the shop-keeper who is not punctual; we recommend a change in this area would be beneficial for the overall functioning of the retail shop; apparently the shopkeeper has another job. Perhaps a change of shop-keeper would provide a sense of ownership and would further increase the efficiency of the sales.

4.7. The Community Child

4.7.1. Tahtay Koraro OVC

Activity M F All Remarks Identification of vulnerable children - - - Children provided with funding 22 43 65 Sponsored children supervised 22 43 65 Children given Medical Support 1 1 2 Home visits done this quarter 8 4 12 New children added this quarter - - - Children who failed to pass exams - - - All passed No. children dropped from project - 1 1 She died in May

The success this quarter is that all children passed their examinations, they were provide their stipend in a timely manner and in the correct location. A radical reduction in drop outs this quarter, which is a major step in the right direction!

Tragically one young girl died on the month of May 2012 from the environmental illness effecting her community (Kelekil); she is the only one who no longer receives a stipend from our agency, she was sponsored through Hope Ethiopia.

4.7.2. Shire-Endaselassie OVC

Abraham's Oasis - CSA No. 0905 - Tel +251 (0) 911 56 22 44 - E. [email protected] - W. www.abrahamsoasis.org Activity M F All Remarks Identification of vulnerable children 5 4 9 Children provided with funding 28 45 73 Sponsored children supervised 28 45 73 Children given Medical Support 1 1 2 Home visits done this quarter 32 65 97 New children added this quarter - - - Children who failed to pass exams - - - No. children dropped from project – - - -

We have been successful in starting up local school children self help groups in Shire Town. This is in order to teach, show and help the children how they can help themselves and those who live around them. Creating a network of helpers amongst the school children.

Another success is that according to our statistics the majority of children have passed their examinations. The 8 th and 10 th grade examination results won't come until six weeks later.

4.7.3. Sheraro OVC

Activity M F All Remarks Identification of vulnerable children - - - Children provided with funding 16 16 32 Sponsored children supervised 16 16 32 Children given Medical Support - - - Home visits done this quarter 14 14 28 New children added this quarter - - - Children who failed to pass exams - - -

Abraham's Oasis - CSA No. 0905 - Tel +251 (0) 911 56 22 44 - E. [email protected] - W. www.abrahamsoasis.org No. children dropped from project – - - -

Though Sheraro is some distance from us here in Shire, the collaborating office (Sheraro Social Affairs Office) is ensuring good supervision of the said children. The money is being received in a timely and fair manner. We know that some children are using their stipend to help them learn outside the classroom as well! We are pleased with this initiative. Home visits have been carried out in an orderly and professional manner.

No children have been dropped from the project and compared to last quarter we denote a marked improvement. We are pleased with this effort in the right direction no doubt due to training given by our team for better awareness of the needs of the children by their caregivers.

4.8. Maternal Awareness and Training

4.8.1. Maternal Awareness and Training Tahtay Koraro

SN Activity Tahtay Koraro (only) M F All Outcomes Fistula/ Maternal Health Awareness 12 - 12 Health workers trained in Maternal Health and Fistula Awareness Simple Delivery Kit Distribution - - - Starting 3 rd qtr. Simple Delivery Kits Assembly - - 3349 Produced at Grace Village Obstetric. Fistula Identification 1 1 Handled and monitored by Hamlin Mekelle Centre. Obstetric. Fistula Referral - - - See above

Non fistula but childbirth related - - -

Abraham's Oasis - CSA No. 0905 - Tel +251 (0) 911 56 22 44 - E. [email protected] - W. www.abrahamsoasis.org injuries seen (Other Urogynae. Problems) Other Urogynae. Problems assisted / - - - referred Chronic Childbirth Injury staff sent for 1 1 To Gondar Fistula centre further surgery

Health workers from four Health Centres and Woreda Health Offices and our organisation have reached an understanding to make a concerted effort towards collaborating for the sake of mothers and their babies in Tahtay Koraro.

We will provide them with clean delivery kits; help with awareness and training in maternal health. This is a move forward from last quarter and we are pleased at this change.

Human Interest Story:

A thirty year old woman from a local village who was married at fifteen years of age. Her husband died; she then re-married and dicorced him when she was twenty years old. It was during this time she went to the district hospital where she was diagnosed with haemorroids – she was referred to a neighbouring hospital for further treatment. Sadly she went to the traditional practioner sho applied treatment leading to her total loss of feaccal control. She has associated pain and is now being treated at the local hospital. We are following her if she needs more help.

4.8.2. Maternal Awareness and Training – other Woredas

SN Activity Other Woredas M F All Outcomes (Woreda) 1 Fistula/ Maternal Health Awareness 87 30 117 Of which 109 are health workers 2 Simple Delivery Kit Distribution 2000 3 Obstetric. Fistula Identification - 6 6 4 Obstetric. Fistula Referral - 2 2 5 Non fistula but childbirth related injuries - - - seen (Other Urogynae. Problems) 6 Other Urogynae. Problems assisted / - - - referred

We have distrubuted 2,000 clean delivery kits in these other Woredas. Through the training of health workers Abraham's Oasis is now working smoothly with the said staff

Abraham's Oasis - CSA No. 0905 - Tel +251 (0) 911 56 22 44 - E. [email protected] - W. www.abrahamsoasis.org in order to help mothers / babies in these Woredas. The training was well integrated and the outcome was productive indicating an efficient use of donor resources.

Many of the fistula patients are able to are going directly to the Mekelle Fistula Centre and this is good. The ones who need help come to us. This is fine with us as we are here to help the destitute and marginalised. Sadly some fistula patients are not able to come to their third and final check-up.

4.8.3. Fistula information by Woreda (2012)

Fistula Information by Woreda Tsege T. T. As. Tsele L. Shire Med. Other de Adiabo Koraro Tsimbl mti Adia Zana Zone bo Fistula 2 - 1 1 3 1 1 2 1 Identified ( 12) Fistula 2 1 1 3 1 1 2 1 Referred (12)

This brief summary indicates that despite the various agencies working with fistula we are helping on average 2 women per month

4.9. Grace Village and School Health / Hygiene

1 Grace Village Health M F All Remarks 1.1 No. X Growth monitoring done 6 7 13 1.2 No x Health supervision done - - 4 1.3 No. Children seen for injuries 2 1 3 1.4 No. Children seen for illness 4 5 9 1.5 No. Children referred to Health Centre 4 2 6 1.6 No. HIV/AIDS Children 2 3 5 1.7 No. HIV/AIDS Children seen at Clinic 2 3 5 Suhul Hospital Clinic 1.8 No. Children referrals to AA - 2 2 1.9 No. who have had surgery / outcome - 1 1 Colostomy 1.10 Nutritional Status of children, (remark) 1 1 2 Small toddlers 2 Health Education / Hygiene 2.1. No x Health Education at Grace Village - - - 2.2. No x Health Education at Grace School - - - 3 Grace Village Sanitation No. X Toilets checked - - 5

Abraham's Oasis - CSA No. 0905 - Tel +251 (0) 911 56 22 44 - E. [email protected] - W. www.abrahamsoasis.org No. x kitchens checked - - 5 No. Environmental Sanitation Days - - - 4 Health / Hygiene / Nutrition Staff No. Health Professionals 1 1 2 No. Kitchen workers - 5 5 No. Laundry workers - 3 3 No. Other workers / cleaners - 2 2

We carefully monitor the children and care rapidly for small problems and refer more complicated ones either to Shire Health Facilities or as recently to Axum Hospital. More complicated cases are taken to Addis Ababa for Peadiatric service as there is none available here in Shire or Axum for that matter. This remains a major problem for us as a centre for children.

We have been fortunate in that we are able to consult with two fine medical doctors who provide us with advice by telephone on how best to meet the health needs of our children. This is most helpful!

We now have water and this has made a huge difference to skin problems, however with the rains comes the colder weather leading to coughs and chills and two of our new babies have had pneumonia – they are both mending nicely now.

4.10 Gender Based Violence

4.10.1. Gender Based Violence Tahtay Koraro

Gender Based Violence M F All No. of focal group sessions - - 1 No. New members - - - No. Graduating members - - - No. Contacts -Women’s Affairs /Assoc. 1 1 2 No. Victims assisted /counselled - 2 2 No. Lodged at Grace Village, duration - - -

The second quarter review meetings with government offices was much better than previously with more collaborative discussion and a good potential for the future.

We look forward to the formation of a self helps focal group in Tahtay Koraro this coming quarter. The Woreda has been slow in getting themselves organised for these much

Abraham's Oasis - CSA No. 0905 - Tel +251 (0) 911 56 22 44 - E. [email protected] - W. www.abrahamsoasis.org needed self help focal groups. Our representative continues to work closes with them to see a postive outcome in the Woreda.

4.10.2. Gender Based Violence Other Woredas

Gender Based Violence M F All Remark No. of focal group sessions - - 6 No. New members - 1 1 L. Adiabo No. Graduating members - - 1 L. Adiabo No. Contacts -Women’s Affairs /Assoc. - 15 15 No. Victims assisted /counselled - 1 1 The new member No. Lodged at Grace Village, - - -

The other woredas are involved in a more dynamic manner and we truly appreciate this; each focal group has eight members plus the representatives of the Women's Affairs Offices and Women's Associations.

The Gender Based Violence Sessions are held regularly and different methods of interaction occur, role play, lecture followed by discussion, art work, story telling with comments and help from their peers. This has encouraged the women because they feel less alone.

This quarter we were able to start something new and much needed – Gender Based Violence Community Based Counselling. Women selected from the community have been trained as the immediate community based counsellors. This means that women who are traumatized can talk over their problems with this nearby counsellor and then if needed be referred to the Abraham's Oasis Psychologist for further counselling.

This has been very well received by the community and the trainees – they wanted to know why this was not done before! We explain that we may be the first in Ethiopia to do this training! They are pleased at this initiative.

Shire-Endaselassie has not started Community Based Counselling or Self Help Focal Groups; we are willing to collaborate with them when they are ready to advantage of the women who are victims of Gender Based Violence in this township.

4.10.3. Adult Psychology / Counselling

Adult Psychology M F All Remarks Total number of adults children counselled 4 4 8

Abraham's Oasis - CSA No. 0905 - Tel +251 (0) 911 56 22 44 - E. [email protected] - W. www.abrahamsoasis.org No. new cases 4 1 5 No. old cases - 3 3 Cases resolved / completed counselling - 1 1 Group therapy session - - - One on one counselling - 5 5 Staff / residential victims counselled - 5 5 New cases 4 - 4 Old cases 3 3 Cases resolved/ completed counselling - 1 1 Group therap sessions - - - One on one counselling 4 3 7

This quarter having a separate counselling room and private has made a big difference for counselling one on one in Grace Village.

Summary

This has been an exciting quarter for us with some new innovative ideas being implemented namely the OVC self help groups for the school children – teaching them to reach out to those less fortunate than they are. They have grasped this and are taking good measures to help their peers.

Another area has been the training of Gender based Violence Community Based Counsellors to meet the needs at local level; our psychologist cannot be in all eigth woredas at onmce, he is not able to counsel all needy women in such far flung areas – but wise women carefully slected can and indeed doo reach out and help their friends. We have simply formalised this initiative and given them tools enabling them to understand the steps for counselling hurting women in the woredas around North- western Zone.

The Director was able to meet with the regional representatives to discuss the way forward for Grace School whereby we can become a charitable school for inclusive education (in Special Needs Education). We have visited local schools and have seen how they are functioning and believe that though we are not yet perfect the final school

Abraham's Oasis - CSA No. 0905 - Tel +251 (0) 911 56 22 44 - E. [email protected] - W. www.abrahamsoasis.org results of our children inidcate that the principles of teaching / education / learning process are being met.

We were exceedingly honoured to have visits from the Federal Minister of Health and the Tigray State President; who both encouraged us to continue the good work we are doing in North-western Zone. They support our efforts and we are grateful to the interest they have shown for our work towards women and children in this most vulnerable Zone. We now look forward to the evaluation by the coordinating body for Tigray our efforts this year.

Our donors despite financial constraints are providing funds to enable us to continue working towards the best outcome possible given the current constraints within the international financial market; we could not function without them. Thank you!

We are grateful to the government of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia and the line departments who support us throughout our service to the people of North- western Zone.

Catharina van den Bosch Director

06.07.2012

Abraham's Oasis - CSA No. 0905 - Tel +251 (0) 911 56 22 44 - E. [email protected] - W. www.abrahamsoasis.org