IIRR/CORDAID Support visit to Ethiopia Partners

[April Foster]

The Constellation has the privilege of partnership with IIRR/CORDAID partners in Ethiopia. The focus is on integrating AIDS Competence with their community managed disaster risk reduction process. We are in the midst of the first follow-up visit, following an exposure visit to Kenya and an initial training workshop in 2009.

The first week was spent in Borana, hosted by SOS. SOS works with pastoral communities and here are some reflections from that visit:

'when you take something small and share it with others it becomes big'

'we feel confident now that we can facilitate this process with our communities'

'the dream and self-assessment are like a mirror. They help us see ourselves better, so that we can plan how to respond to those things that threaten us' - Pastoral committee member

'you have helped us to 'weigh' ourselves and see where we have strength and how to use that strength to apply to the challenges that face us' - pastoral committee member

We are now in the second implementation location, Dire Dawa.

The importance of accompaniment and support is very clear to all of us during this visit.

The determination of IIRR to integrate HIV into all of their work is really a learning ground for many other organisations.

'

[ABEDNEGO KITHEKA MUTUNGWA]

April
The pictures are amazing and inspiring and they tell the synergy that was in the process

It really motivates me as a facilitator to hear the words from a this group about the Dream and self assessment
and even the words this will help us to strategically plan ahead and identify our areas where we need to improve

Thanks for effort u and mark

I'm really interested to know to how the IIRR approach is being integrated with SALT approach

[Ricardo Walters]

Hi April,

I'm encouraged by the dynamic energy that seems to be building inside this process. Thanks for sharing.

Phil's question is particularly provocative, and a good one for many of us to analyse. Perhaps this is something that could be opened up in the Discussion Forum: how do we know that accompaniment and support are important at a particular stage in a process of response?

Ricardo

[Phil]

I find the 2 metaphors that come from the pastoral committees beautiful and powerful. You have indeed helped them to see themselves better and also to weigh themselves so that they appreciate their strengths.

When you have some time, I would be very interested to hear what makes it clear to you that accompaniment and support are important.

Phil

[Rituu B. Nanda]

Hi April,

Thanks for the blog and very inspiring photographs you have posted. What does IIRR stand for? Is it a non-profit organisation?

I would love to learn on how IIRR plans to integrate ACP in their existing programme as well as on who will be responsible in the organisation for ACP. Will they recruit extra staff? We here in India can learn from you and your team.

In one of the charts in the photographs, there is mention of evaluation. Please can you share on what was discussed.

Warm regards,

Rituu