Successful completion of Distance Education at Debre Markos Prison

The distance training program at Debremarkos prison was successfully completed. 31 trainees (16 in Animal Production and 15 in plant production) were awarded certificates by the Executive director of ASE, Ato Getachew worku on the 7 th of June 2009 on a ceremonious occasion where a number of invited guests from regional, zonal and Wereda government offices were present. The commitment and active participation by the prison administration in general and the center coordinator in particular has contributed to make the project a success. The governments good intention of using the prisons as learning centers where prison inmates are encouraged to participate on trainings based on their area of interest and future life produced a spark of hope among the prisoners and motivated them to participate with interest.

The project has also revealed the fact that prisons have the potential to be used as models and demonstration sites for other training which could be organized in the future (e.g. by the town agriculture office) if they are helped to build their capacity.

The successful design and implementation of this project, which is the first of its kind in this country, has also become one more evidence and a clear indication for the determination and relentless effort of Agri Service Ethiopia to see a developed Ethiopia.

A consultative Meeting Held on Institutionalization of the Asset Based and Bottom Up community Development Approaches

A consultative meeting on institutionalization of the Asset Based and bottom up community development approach through contextualization, learning and adaptation in the context of Ethiopia was held on June 22 in the Minilik Hall of Global Hotel. The consultative meeting was officially opened by Ato Amanuel Assefa, the Director of Community learning and Capacity Development Department of Agri Service Ethiopia . The Department is organized to coordinate and direct the various core functions of the organization on Participatory Learning and Action, Participatory Innovation Development and Empowerment of Com. & Local Institution. Ato Amanuel Assefa during his opening remark underlined the value of the various development approaches and practices being in use in the country. He further noted the need to work together in identifying those approaches and practices and learn from both their strengths and weaknesses.

Communities in this country since no time have made ways to alleviate their problems traditionally. These traditionally developed ways of solving local problems and handling local issues have become of course rich through ages long of practices and enhancement. The director stressed on the value of such approaches and the benefit of putting together the strengths of those approaches with the contemporary development approaches with the aim to have a better development strategy ultimately that work in a more efficient and effective ways locally.

The purpose of the consultative meeting was to exchange ideas and experiences among the participating partners on the various central development approaches put in place in their respective organization.

Presentations were made by organizations to give information on what they do and what approaches they follow in order to realize their vision of ensuring a better livelihood for their target community at local level.

Midterm Strategic Revision Conducted