During the last 42 years (1978-2020), REST has shared with the people of Tigray the turbulent years of war, famine and unprecedented internal displacement and the exodus of hundreds of thousand refugees who left behind their homes, farms and the very land where they and their forefathers and mothers lived for millennia. During those dark days of the Derg regime of Mengistu Haile Meriam, our people endured tremendous suffering and untold misery of severe food shortage, one of the basic substances of existence. In those days, food was used as a weapon of war against our people……
REST PROGRAMS
Everyday we work to restore the health of Tigray’s natural resources and production landscapes so that rural communities can develop, and live food secure and prosperous lives. Our long experience demonstrates that by helping rural communities to better manage their natural resources and improve land productivity, they can produce more on a sustainable basis, generate living incomes from their farms, and gradually overcome poverty.
While many investments have been made to improve water supply in Tigray, much more still needs to be done. As one of the leaders in water provision in Ethiopia, we construct water points in a wide array of settings. REST offers a range of technology options from hand dug wells and springs, to boreholes and roof rainwater harvesting.
While people’s health status in Tigray is generally improving, under nutrition remains a lingering public health issue, with long lasting and sever impacts such as: inability to resist infections, recover from disease or learn and undertake physical work, stunted growth, lost productivity and persistent poverty.
Improving Crop and livestock development is a major area of focus in strengthening household food security and agricultural livelihoods. Smallholder farmers who engaged in Cereal Production and Horticultural development, Dairy Production, Small Ruminant Fattening and Production, Poultry production, Bee-keeping Development for consumption and income generation received support through new technological inputs and capacity building.
While many investments have been made to improve water supply in Tigray, much more still needs to be done. As one of the leaders in water provision in Ethiopia, REST offers a range of technology options from hand dug wells and springs, to boreholes and roof rainwater harvesting schemes and we construct water points in a wide array of settings.
Our commitment towards gender equality involves integrated actions aimed at empowering women throughout Tigray. It stems from the recognition of the various dimensions of women’s poverty and responds with a holistic approach of complementary interventions, integrating economic empowerment with access to reproductive health, literacy and behavioral change at community level. Women participating in our program are targeted by all the intervention areas, which results in all-rounded improvement in their lives.
As with empowerment of women, support for community institution building and capacity development cuts through all strategic objectives and operations. The range of institutions REST has assisted communities to establish and manage over the past 5-6 years has included:
- Watershed management committees
- Community development committees
- Early warning community committees…..
- Village Economic and Social Associations
- Water user associations
- Water and sanitation committees
FIELD NOTE:
MEET OUR WORKFORCE
MARIA STRINTZOS
REST Fundraising and Humanitarian Coordinator, Australia
“Whenever I travel in Tigray, people welcome me into their homes and communities with extremely open arms, not because I am Maria, but because I am REST”
SARA HAGOS
Senior Public Relation Officer
“Being apart of a solution to poverty and helping vulnerable communities is unmeasurable”
