FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 19, 2013

Sees "tangible results" for weavers and designers

*Photo courtesy of ©ACDI-CIDA "

WATERLOO, ON – The Honourable Julian Fantino, Canada's Minister for International Cooperation, recently recognized MEDA's sustainable approach to economic development in Ethiopia. During his visit, Minister Fantino met with weavers involved in the EDGET program Ethiopians Driving Growth through Entrepreneurship and Trade. The project receives funding from the Government of Canada, through the Canadian International Development Agency, and is aimed at helping 10,000 farmers and weavers to create more sustainable livelihoods for their families.

"This is exactly the kind of project that Canada is proud to support as it delivers tangible results, helps lift families out of poverty and puts countries on track to becoming self-sustaining." said Minister Fantino.

Using a business solution to poverty and working with local partners over five years, EDGET enables rice farmers and textile producers to increase their incomes by helping them reach higher-value markets, learn new production techniques, implement new technologies, and gain access to support services such as finance. Since the project began in 2011, weavers have seen a 14-18% increase in their incomes through the project.

During his visit, Minister Fantino also talked with several local weavers and a designer to learn about how they became involved in EDGET and the impact it has had on their lives.

"I have more, steady orders and receive more money for my products because of the linkage to designers," one male weaver noted. "In this group, we work together to encourage quality and delivery of our orders on time."

A female weaver added that, "Since this project and the new things I learned about developing my business and to improve the quality of my weaving, I have gotten more orders and am able to save money. I have made enough money to buy a new house for my family."

Local designers are also benefitting from the project. One designer explained, "I am very happy to participate, as it has given me access to more excellent quality weavers for the fabric for my designs. In Ethiopia there is a strong, proud heritage of excellent weaving skills and we are investing and leveraging that expertise by linking these weavers to high-end buyers here in country and through export markets."

For more information on the EDGET project please contact Linda Whitmore ( This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. ) or Jaclyn Stief ( This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. ) at 519-725-1853 ext. 320.

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MEDA is an international NGO founded in 1953 that provides technical expertise in subsector and value chain analysis, market linkages, financial services (rural finance, deposit mobilization and youth & financial services), health systems, and financial institution capacity development. MEDA's expertise cuts across sectors, working with vulnerable and underserved populations like youth, low-income women, and rural populations.

MEDA Pakistan Newsletter - Volume 15, July - September 2012

This issue includes:

"WED 2012: Remembering the 'Green' Side of MEDA"
"The future's here, at last"
"Joining Hands with PaRRSA"
"Towards Environment Friendly Energies"
And a highlight of our USAID Entrepreneurs Project

June 2012 - Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

The long awaited agreement on Credit Guarantee for the development work of MEDA has been signed between MEDA-Ethiopia and Bunna Bank on Friday June 15, 2012 at the Bunna Bank Head Office with strong sense of collaboration and team work.

The process of finding the right Bank for facilitating a credit Guarantee for MEDA's development work in Ethiopia was a very difficult and energy consuming task as Mrs. Solyana Amsalu, MEDA's financial service specialist, recalls. She started the work by looking and discussing with Private Banks since last summer. All the searching work for finding Banks ended with no positive answers due to the existing liquidity issues, the reserve requirement by the central banks and other related issues.

Having all the issues on the table, the recently established Bunna Bank which commenced its operation on October 10, 2009 with subscribed & paid up capital of Birr 308 million and Birr 156 million, respectively, showed interest to work with MEDA in credit guarantee work because of their aspiration to work on development areas and also to introduce new product and also interested to work on such area as Mrs. Amsalu observed.

The formal activities with the Bank started last March when Kamran Abdullayev from Head Quarter visited MEDA Ethiopia and come up with the first draft of the document with Solyana. Then after the dialogue continues with the Bank with strong push and follow up of MEDA's financial service specialist. After a lot of back and forth, the agreement finally signed.

On the event, there were Loren Hostettler, Country Project Manager, Mrs. Tigist Belachew, Program manager and Mrs. Solyana Amsalu, Financial service Specialist representing MEDA . There were Mr. Eskeza credit analysit, Mr. Endalkachew Mihieretu, International Banking division Manager, Mr. Wubetu Assefa, Legal Service Manager and Mr. Tadesse Chinkili, Credit Department Manager and also representing the president of Buna Bank who couldn't be present on the event due to an urgent meeting at the central bank, representing Bunna Bank.

During the meeting, Mr. Hostettler, open up by appreciating the Bank's interest and effort to make it happen and also for arranging such an event with short notice. Ms Belachew also added the experience she had before in such area and confident enough to work in collaboration and to learn from each other. Mr. Chiliki of Bunna Bank thank again for MEDA's interest to work with them and also debrief the whole activity that has been done so far with MEDA by mentioning the hard work of Mrs. Amsalu. He thinks that the work is promising and looking forward to its implementation. Mr. Eskezia, who is a credit analysis that has been working with Mrs. Amsalu for the last few months on the case, added also his happiness for the finalization of the document and promised to make it happen.

There were a discussion and a question/answer time on the expectation from and responsibilities of both parties. Both team responded for their concerns and question. Ms Belachew added that, there will be a launching event after this where things will be clearer and go directly into implementation. Mrs. Amsalu closed it by expressing her gratitude and appreciated the hard work of the Bank with all the push and high demand of MEDA and express her joy for such a great first step achievement and looking forward to work with the Bank.

The agreement was signed by country project manager of MEDA and Credit manager of Bunna Bank with a group picture taken afterwards.

Tigist Gelagle
Communications Officer, MEDA Ethiopia

NATnets E-news January-June 2012

UK Parlimentary Committee visits MEDA Tanzania; Keeping Tanzania covered with nets; e-Vouchers Household use of LLINs will increase; Kids fight off malaria in Lindi.

Click on the thumbnail picture to view full sized Adobe PDF.

 MEDA Tanzania in the news, April 12, 2012.

 Daily News Article: "Small price to pay to effectively chase away moquitos at night" a look at the benefits of long-lasting insecticidal treated nets (LLIN) in Tanzania.   

 Click on the thumbnail picture to view the ADOBE PDF.