Aklilu Dalelo/Till Stellmacher Faith-based Organisations in Ethiopia The Contribution of the Kale Heywet Church to Rural Schooling, Ecological Balance and Food Security With 22 figures V&R unipress Bonn University Press Bibliographic information published by the Deutsche Nationalbibliothek The Deutsche Nationalbibliothek lists this publication in the Deutsche Nationalbibliografie; detailed bibliographic data are available in the Internet at http://dnb.d-nb.de. ISBN 978-3-8471-0011-9 ISBN 978-3-8470-0011-2 (E-Book) Publications of Bonn University Press are published by V&R unipress GmbH. This book was published with financial support from the Evangelischer Entwicklungsdienst e.V. Copyright2012byV&Runipress GmbH, D-37079 Goettingen All rights reserved, including those of translation into foreign languages. No part of this work may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, microfilm and recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. Printing and binding: CPI Buch Bücher.de GmbH, Birkach Printed in Germany. Inhalt Acknowledgements . .................. 9 About the authors . .................. 11 List of Tables . ............................... 13 List of Figures . ............................... 15 List of Acronyms ............................... 17 1. Introduction . ............................... 19 1.1. Faith-based Organizations and the Genesis of Modern Education . 19 1.2. Why Ecological Balance? . .................. 20 1.3. Why Concern about Food Security? . ........ 23 1.4. Rationale and Objectives of the Study . ........ 27 1.5. Methodology . .................. 27 1.6. Organisation of the Research Report . ........ 30 2. Ethiopia: Biophysical and Socio-economic Conditions . ........ 31 2.1. The Biophysical Environment . .................. 31 2.2. Socio-economic Environment . .................. 32 2.3. Developments in the Educational Sector . ........ 35 2.4. Food Insecurity in Ethiopia . .................. 37 2.4.1. Causes of Food Insecurity . .................. 41 2.4.2. Consequences of Food Insecurity and Famine ........ 44 2.5. The Ethiopian Food Security Strategy . ........ 46 2.6. The Case Study Areas . .................. 48 2.6.1. Kembata Tembaro zone and Alaba Liyu Wereda . 48 2.6.2. Adaa Liben Wereda . .................. 52 6 Inhalt 3. Faith-based Organisations and Development . ........ 55 3.1. Perspectives on Faith and Development . ........ 55 3.2. Factors Enhancing FBOs’ Contributions . ........ 56 3.2.1. A Clear and Accommodative Mission . ........ 56 3.2.2. A Conducive International Atmosphere . ........ 59 3.3. The Major Christian FBOs in Ethiopia . ........ 60 3.3.1. Background . .................. 60 3.3.2. The Early Missionaries . .................. 61 3.3.3. Current Role of Evangelical Churches . ........ 62 3.4. The Ethiopian Kale Heywet Church . ........ 64 3.4.1. Background . .................. 64 3.4.2. Educational Services of the EKHC . ........ 64 3.4.3. Current Situation and Future Direction . ........ 66 4. Faith, Ecological Balance and Food Security : Survey Findings . 69 4.1. Interviewees’ Profile . .................. 69 4.2. Views on the Human Impact on the Environment . ........ 70 4.3. Views on the Link between Environmental Protection and Food Security . ............................... 71 4.4. Views on Causes of Food Insecurity . ........ 73 4.5. Views on Strenghts and Special Contributions of FBOs . 76 4.6. Views on Weaknesses of FBOs . .................. 77 4.7. Views on Evangelicals and Work Ethics . ........ 78 4.8. Concluding Remarks . .................. 80 5. Case Study One: Empowering Schools to Address Ecological Balance . 83 5.1. Background . .................. 83 5.2. The Project Schools . .................. 84 5.3. Project Outcomes and Impacts . .................. 85 5.3.1. Preparation of a Handbook and Conducting In-service Training . .................. 85 5.3.2. Establishment of Environmental Clubs . ........ 87 5.3.3. Development of School Nurseries . ........ 90 5.3.4. Dissemination of Alternative Energy Technologies . 90 6. Case Study Two: Improving Access to Education . ........ 95 6.1. Background . .................. 95 6.2. Key Objectives and Beneficiaries .................. 96 6.3. Major Achievements . .................. 96 Inhalt 7 7. Case Study Three: Help a Child . .................. 103 7.1. Background . .................. 103 7.2. EKHC Children’s Services . .................. 106 7.3. The Kuriftu Children’s Home . .................. 107 7.4. Community-Based Child Sponsorship . ........ 109 7.5. A Turning Point in the EKHC-ReK Partnership . ........ 111 7.6. Concluding Remarks . .................. 114 8. Case Study Four: Transforming Theological Schooling . ........ 115 8.1. Background . .................. 115 8.2. An Untapped Resource . .................. 116 8.3. Situation before the Integration Efforts . ........ 116 8.4. Integration of Development Education . ........ 117 8.5. Community Development at ETC .................. 120 8.6. Concluding Remarks . .................. 122 9. Concluding Summary and Way Forward . ........ 125 9.1. Concluding Summary . .................. 125 9.2. The Way Forward . .................. 127 References . ............................... 129 Appendix I . ............................... 135 Acknowledgements This study benefited from the support of many organisations and individuals. The idea to conduct research on the contributions of faith-based organisations to education and sustainable development with a focus on ecological balance and food security in Ethiopia was conceived when Dr. Aklilu Dalelo served as a technical advisor for the Ethiopian Kale Heywet Church (EKHC) Development Programme. The advisory service was made possible by the financial assistance of the Evangelische Entwicklungsdienst (EED) in Germany. Thanks and ap- preciation therefore go to the EKHC and EED. We would also like to thank Dr. Tesfaye Yacob, the then EKHC General Secretary, for his interest in the research and sustained encouragement throughout the entire process. Dr. Aklilu Dalelo and Dr. Till Stellmacher are grateful to Mr. Tefera Talore, Head of the Training Department at the EKHC, who supported the data gathering and processing. We are also greatly indebted to the key informants and others who gave information at different phases of the study. The Center for Development Research (ZEF) at the University of Bonn allo- cated a variety of infrastructural and intellectual services and facilities to realise this work. Our heartfelt gratitude therefore goes to Professor Dr. Solvay Gerke, Director of the ZEF Department of Political and Cultural Change. The resource centre of the Oxford Centre for Mission Studies (OCMS), UK, has also been helpful. We would hence like to express our thanks to the staff of OCMS and Professor Deryke Belshaw, for their useful comments during the stay of Dr. Aklilu Delelo at OCMS. Likewise, the Human Needs and Global Resources Program (HNGR) of Wheaton College, USA, supported the field research by availing resources and office spaces. Our deepest gratitude goes to the staff of the HNGR Program and Department of Politics and International Relations. Pro- fessors Paul Robinson and Sandra Joireman made Dr. Aklilu Delelo’s stay at Wheaton not only fruitful but also very enjoyable. 10 Acknowledgements Two scholars reviewed the research report, Dr. Zemede Asfaw and Professor Ensermu Kelbessa, both from the Faculty of Science, Addis Ababa University. We would like to thank them for their critical and valuable comments. Many institutions contributed financially to this study. The EED Scholarship Desk took responsibility for travel and research costs as well as costs related to review and publication. Our special thanks are due to Mrs Susanne Werner of the EED Scholarship Desk for doing much more than what her official responsibility required. The research within Ethiopia was mainly supported by the EKHC and Red een Kind (ReK), the Netherlands. Dr. Aklilu Delelo’s stay at Wheaton College was sponsored by the HNGR Program, Wheaton College. We thank you all. Dr. Aklilu Dalelo has been greatly supported by the consistent encouragement of his wife, Tigist Tesfaye, and their children Elelta and Kranz. Dr. Till Stellmacher would like to thank his family for their partience and support throughout the writing of this book. Dr. Aklilu Dalelo and Dr. Till Stellmacher August 2012, Addis Ababa and Bonn About the authors Dr Aklilu Dalelo is an Assistant Professor of Geography and Environmental Education at Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia. He is a geographer by training with a particular interest in environmental and sustainability education. Dr Aklilu made an extensive research over the past fifteen years mainly in energy and environmental education; and published more than ten articles in reputable national and international journals. He also wrote a book entitled “Environment and Sustainability in Ethiopian Education System: A Longitudinal Analysis”. Currently, he is an Alexander von Humboldt Research Fellow at the Institute of Environmental and Sustainability Communication, Faculty of Sustainability Sciences; University of Luneburg, Germany. Email: [email protected]; [email protected] Dr Till Stellmacher is a Senior Researcher at the Center for Development Re- search (ZEF), Germany. He studied Geography and Agricultural Sciences at the University of Bonn, Germany, and the University of Manchester, UK. For the last