Kombolcha Marketplace Trade
Country: Ethiopia
City/Town: Kombolcha
CarePoint: Kombolcha Mekanyesus
People Impacted: 30 families
Total Cost: $10,650
Estimated time to complete: N/A
Area of Transformation
Economic Development
Project Description
The objective of this income-generating project is to ensure the self-sufficiency of participants through creating individual businesses and self-employed jobs. These income-generating training groups will grow as community micro-financial institutions to support the members’ businesses. The main activities of the project will include selecting voluntary participants, gathering indigenous knowledge of feasible business, sharing knowledge, conducting business development training. They will facilitate loans, and intensive follow up will be done on implementation to ensure effective and profitable businesses.
Historical Background
Kombolcha Meserete Kristos CarePoint is in the northern part of Ethiopia. This CarePoint has been partnered with Children’s HopeChest for over eight years, providing holistic resources for 119 vulnerable children and their families in the community. Due to limited economic opportunities in the region, many families are living in poverty. Parents and guardians of children who are receiving benefits through the income-generating activity program are given the opportunity to receive training and seed money to begin businesses as they work toward providing for their families and becoming self-sustaining. The project’s goal is to work toward the financial independence of families through strengthening the group savings and forming community self-managed financial micro institutions.
Return on Investment Potential
Many participants who have benefitted from the income-generating activity program have been able to provide for the basic needs of their family within one to two years of starting a business. Through running their own business, they learn necessary skills and have greater opportunities to be leaders, take care of their family, and invest in their community.
Additional Impacts
The CarePoint supports families where a difficult, continuous drought has affected the economy of communities in the northern part of the country. These families have difficult living situations. The families who are successful in the program will be a good example to other families in the community. Empowered families can encourage others that financial independence can happen through hard work and with the motto, “We can do it!”
Volunteer and Travel Opportunities
Training for staff and participants on business skills will be important for the project to be successful. Volunteers who are equipped with entrepreneurship insight can share their skills and facilitate training and discussions.
Engagement Opportunities
Supporting income-generating activities presents a great volunteer opportunity for individuals to share their experience how to be a successful leader. Whether it be an in-person visit or a virtual training, this would be a valuable way to further connect to the impact of one’s investment.
