Skerries and Sodo

Connect Ethiopia’s Skerries/Sodo is now in its second year of support for a major 5 year development programme taking place in the Sodo region of Ethiopia. The project is receiving tremendous support from the community of Skerries and so far over €30,000 has been raised.

Sodo is located in the Great Rift Valley, 103 km south of Addis Ababa. Sodo is a drought prone area and only 10% of households have sufficient food for the whole year.

Self Help Development International, principally funded by Irish Aid, is the NGO responsible for implementing the development programme. One hundred per cent of funds raised in the Skerries community help support the developments taking place in Sodo.

Some of the project highlights for 2007 are:

• A new primary school has been built (over 600 children enrolled)
• Marked increase in crop production (seeds distributed/training given)
• New irrigation systems put in place
• Increased access to clean water
• Micro savings schemes introduced
• Gender equality programmes to support women and young girls introduced

Some of the events that have taken place in Skerries in 2007:

• Schools Awareness programme
• Participation in the St. Patrick’s Day Parade
• Skerries Community Choir sing for Sodo
• Local musicians support the Skerries/Sodo project
• Transition year student supports Sodo by staging original play during Skerries Soundwaves 4 Festival
• Swim to Rockabill
• Screening of the film “Black Gold” at the Skerries Sailing Club
• Skerries 2nd annual Christmas collection

It is expected that when the development programme has been fully implemented over 87,000 people’s lives will have been enhanced in a sustainable manner.

“We have reached out to a community that has so little in terms of basic human necessities and the support of the people of Skerries, who have warmly embraced this project, is fantastic”, says Sandra O’Sullivan. “It also helps to make us appreciate how fortunate we are, and how many things we take for granted, like clean running water”, she added.

If you would like to explore the possibility of your community supporting a development project taking place in Ethiopia please contact:

Sandra O'Sullivan
Mobile: 087 417 1809
Email: sandra@connectethiopia.ie