Infrastructure:
Key infrastructure projects funded by Dir Biyabir include the following:
1- Foot Bridge Over Beressa River
Every rainy season, the villagers of Amoragedel, Moy, Kasset, and Weyniye struggle to cross the Beressa River. With the village of Moy on one side of the river and Weyniye on the other, villagers have to cross the river frequently in order to plant, weed, and harvest their farms as well as to visit family. Every year when the river overflows in the rainy season, several people drown trying to cross the river. When the Dir Biyabir Chairperson visited the area in April 2014, an urgent request presented to her repeatedly by villagers from Amoragedel, Moy, Kasset was the need for this bridge. According to the villagers, in just one year 4 members of one family drowned trying to cross the river. The villagers mentioned that in any given year at least 6 people drown trying to cross this river. Based on the requests from the locals which was repeated in village after village throughout the tour of the area, this was clearly a top priority for the villagers. The Dir Biyabir chair committed to the villagers right there and then that Dir Biyabir would do everything possible to help.
Our project partner in this area ADHENO was very much aware of this issue and expedited the preparation of a formal proposal including specifications for the foot bridge developed by a local expert. Within a couple of weeks of the return of the Dir Biyabir chairperson to the US, funding was wired for the project in May 2014. Funding covered the purchase of industrial material like concrete and steel, as well as hiring skilled labor to design and construct the bridge. ADHENO managed the project implementation and local villagers eagerly contributed their labor. Working together the bridge was constructed and completed in August 2014 and went into immediate use by the villagers.
New Bridge Over Beressa River | Inauguration of New Bridge |
This foot bridge now connects the kebeles of Moy and Weyniye. In October 2014, working with the community, ADHENO organized an inauguration celebration for the bridge. There was a very warm celebration attended by local elders, villagers, and ADHENO staff. A special bread was baked for the occasion and villagers wore T-shirts thanking Dir Biyabir and ADHENO for their support.
This bridge is already making tangible impact in the lives of villagers. It allows them to safely access their farms and benefit economically from this improved access. It also connects the communities of Moy and Weyniye and allows people of these two kebeles to develop closer ties and learn from each other. The construction of this bridge also opens up access to Weyniye so that similar environmental and economic projects can be implemented there. We look forward to he possibility of working with ADHENO and the villagers of Weyniye on integrated environmental rehabilitation and economic empowerment projects that have demonstrated much success in the nearby villages of Amoragedel, Kasset and Moy.