Group Programme Ethiopia October 2010

"During the SharePeople Group Programme, I learned a lot regarding the creative process and group dynamics. This comes down to aspects like the value of preparation, influencing progress and cooperativeness, conciousness about the dynamics (e.g. keeping distance and adding value at the right moment), balancing personal eye for detail with progress and when investigating, testing hypotheses."

Gieljan Beijen - Project Manager, MVO Nederland
(participant Group Programme Philippines 2009)

Overview

Timeframe: 23 October - 6 November, 2010
Country / Region: Ethiopia, Addis Ababa and rural areas
Programme Manager: Annick Schmeddes
Learning manager / coach: Jan-Willem Eggink
Business cases: t.b.c.

Timeframe and programme

Ethiopia in the world The programme starts with two days of preparation in the Netherlands (30 September and 1 October). These two days you will become acquainted with the business cases and your team members you will work with during the programme. Furthermore, special attention will be paid to the identification of personal learning goals for the programme, with assistance of the learning manager. Also intercultural communication, safety and other practical issues will be addressed. The preparation days are obligatory for all participants. Also December 9, after the trip to Ethiopia, there is a reflection session which is part of a programme.

From 23 October till 6 November an intensive programme is planned in Ethiopia:
Introduction and City assignment: 2 days, Addis Ababa
Business Cases: 7-8 days, rural areas
Debriefing: 2 days, Addis Ababa

While working locally on business cases in groups of 3-4, the learning manager will guide the learning process and assist you with your personal learning objectives.
Learn more about the benefits for you as a professional and for your organisation.

Programme Manager: Annick Schmeddes

After gaining experience at the embassy in Costa Rica and ICCO, Annick joined SharePeople in 2006 as Programme Manager for Kenya and Philippines. Within the programme ‘ImpulsIS', she subsidised and advised private Dutch initiatives which themselves support development projects. 'For me, the main challenge is to encourage involvement in development co-operation.'

Since 2008, Annick also works for SharePeople's programmes in Ethiopia. 'Inspite of Ethiopia's reputation as a country full of drought and hunger, it is also a green country, full of fertile land, with lots of tourism potential with cultural highlights, spectacular nature and native tribes. Ethiopia is a proud country, has never been colonised, and formes a bridge between East Africa and the Middle East. It's a country with deeply religious people with high self esteem. Coming out of communist era, it is now focused on developing entrepreneurship.'

Learning manager / coach: Jan Willem Eggink

Jan Willem Eggink offers coaching to professionals and managers in the Dutch corporate and health sector. He has lived in West Africa and worked for SNV for many years. Jan-Willem is partner of SharePeople in its Group Programmes, in which professional development plays an important role. Jan Willem's company 'De Professionele Mens' guides processes of change, using group dynamics to reach the results wanted and system coaching. Leadership development is the other pillar, offering personal coaching and tailor made leadership programmes.

Socio-economic situation in Ethiopia

Coffee farmer poors coffee Ethiopia has a population of about 78 million people (2nd in Africa after Nigeria) with a population growth of 3%. Life expectancy at birth is 55 years for males and 58 years for females. Poverty is wide spread with 44% of the people living below the poverty line. Government policy supported by donors (14,7% of Gross National Income) has made some progress on the Millenium Development Goals. For instance on goals 1, end poverty and hunger, 4 and 5, proper healthcare for children and mothers, and goal 2, education. However, halving hunger and poverty have priority to reach other goals.

Economic progress however varies: economic growth is often set back by droughts and evaporates with inflation (currently the highest in Africa). Civil society is under increasing political control. Furthermore, the position of women is poor by sub-Sahara African standards. Almost half the children show stunted growth, which is an indication of malnutrition. Some 10% of the population is structurally dependent on food aid. The Horn of Africa is heavily exposed to the impact of climate change and experiences a number of regional conflicts.

SharePeople in Ethiopia
Working towards opening of Dorze Lodge SharePeople works in Ethiopia with a network of ICCO (one of the largest Dutch development organisations), the Dutch Embassy, SNV (training development agent), the Chambre of Commerce of Addis Ababa and a network of local business development service providers.
Through this network, SharePeople receives requests for management support from social entrepreneurs, which will be turned into business cases. These business cases form the basis of the Group Programme and will maximize the impact of the participants on the development of entrepreneurship.

SharePeople works especially on United Nations Millennium Development Goals 1, eradicate extreme poverty and hunger, 3, promote gender equality, 7, ensure environmental sustainability and goal number 8, a global partnership for development.

"To get an outsider look of the situation was enormously helpful. It gave us a chance to see what we have not seen, what we thought was not important, and what we were not able to change, for fear of knowing the clear result, or some other reason."