EBA's Ethiopia initiative started as a way for us
to celebrate the occasion of EBA's 40th anniversary
in 2006. That year we began our journey with Partners
by providing $50,000 in funding for the development
and protection of water supplies for five villages
in southern Ethiopia. Brian Adeney travelled to Ethiopia
as our first ambassador for the program in 2006. Later
in the year Katherine Johnston travelled to Ethiopia
to monitor the progress on the projects.
In 2009, EBA’s GROW Ethiopia initiative was
created to raise funds for a two-year reforestation
project in the state of Gojjam in Ethiopia. Gojjam
is often referred to as the “breadbasket”
of Ethiopia as the farmers in this region produce
so much of Ethiopia’s food. This intense farming,
in combination with a large population, has created
a landscape devoid of trees and has led to extensive
soil erosion and subsequent loss of arable land.
