News and Events – Organization for Welfare & Development in Action

Alleviating chronic water shortages through water harvesting Birkas: A case of Malka-Sallah

March 6, 2018

Organization For Welfare and Development in Action (OWDA) had implemented an integrated pastoral and agro-pastoral development project in Adadle Woreda of Gode zone from 2007 to 2011.The project beneficiaries’ livelihood system composed of pure pastoral livelihood and agro-pastoral community residing […]

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Regional food security updates

March 5, 2018

According to the regional Disaster prevention and preparedness bureau The food security condition remain stable in many parts across the Somali region in this month compared to the last months, due to a combination of factors such as onset of […]

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OWDA and its DENAN Health Services

March 4, 2018

Organization for Welfare & Development in Action (OWDA) in partnership with The Denan Project (TDP) is vigorously running the Denan Health Center which is fully staffed with an exceptionally dedicated team of more than 35 staffs headed by medical doctor. […]

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General Assembly (GA) Meeting

March 3, 2018

Organization for Welfare and Development in Action (OWDA) conducted its 3rd annual General assembly meeting on March 24th after the establishment of the Charities and Societies Agency. The meeting was held in Hamda Hotel at the association’s headquarter of Jijiga. […]

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OWDA’s Adadle Community Development Project: Impacts and Beneficiaries’ Testimonies

March 2, 2018

Adadley Community Development project (ACDP) is a five year development program implemented by Ogaden Welfare and Development Association (OWDA) and funded by Development Fund Norway – DF in Adadley Woreda of Godey Zone, Somali Regional State, Ethiopia. The goal of […]

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OWDA and its Environmental Interventions

March 1, 2018

It is evidently seen that in Somali region greater part of fertile land has been reversed to unproductive due to soil erosion mainly gulley that detaches soil particle into another places. Therefore, this needs to be controlled effectively so that […]

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OWDA’s FGM Experience at the Proceedings of the National FGM Network Annual Experience Sharing Workshop

February 27, 2018

Established in 1999 with its head office in Jijiga, OWDA works in Jijiga, Warder, korahay, Gode, Afder and Liben zones in various integrated thematic program engagements. These include rural water supply, education, health, environmental rehabilitation and protection, pastoral community capacity […]

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Updates on the Current Humanitarian Situation and the Emergency Response Plan

February 26, 2018

In a meeting held in Jijiga on 11 February 2010 to discuss the current humanitarian situation, the regional Disaster Prevention and preparedness Bureau updated the meeting participants as follows: Weather Condition Unusual rain is currently falling in certain parts of […]

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OWDA’S Water tankering updates

February 25, 2018

Organization Welfare and Development in Action (OWDA) is currently conducting water tankering emergency interventions in three different districts of the Somali region where was highly affected by the recent drought. These districts are Bokh, Galadi and Hershin. The report compiled […]

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Founder of the Denan Project Enjoys Hero’s Welcome in Denan

February 24, 2018

The founder of the Denan project Dick Young enjoyed a hero’s welcome in Denan as he was conducting a supervision mission in the Denan District. The community considered the visit as way of revitalizing the project after a serious setback […]

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CORE Group Polio Project

Donor: Core Group USAID.

Project Type: Development

Location: Warder, Danod, Daratole, Galadi, Bokh, Gode, Kalafo, Mustahil, and Fer-Fer.

Project About: The current national potential health service coverage stands very low and the availability and quality of health service provision is generally poor, with significant regional disparities in access to basic health care service. The situation of Somali region is worst when it is compared to the other regions of Ethiopia due to pastoralist life style with lack of supporting policy, pastoral populations that move from place to place with their flocks, creating a challenge to provide health service for the population in general and for children and mothers to reach immunization services in particular.

The heath extension program is the flagship of the health delivery system in Ethiopia. The HEWs are the core of the HEP to work in collaboration with community health promoters. Community health promoters extend the reach of HEWs into communities, focus on improving household health practices by serving as role models, and negotiate with caretakers on doable actions.

The government recently designed a new approach to extend health promotion and disease prevention services through the Health Development Army (HDA). One individual, especially female, is responsible for taking care of five households to lead the momentum of utilizing existing services and can directly influence care-seeking practices at the household level.

Malaria, acute respiratory infections, and diarrheal disease remain the most common diseases in Ethiopia, the threat of vaccine-preventable diseases such as polio, Measles, and NNT is very significant. In August 2020, Africa declared its polio-free status, but the region is affected by repeated outbreaks of cVDPV. It needs more robust surveillance and outbreaks responses to maintain the gains achieved.

The project focuses on eradicating polio through mass vaccination campaigns (SIAs), strengthening immunization systems, and community-based surveillance. The vast experience and geographic presence provide an excellent opportunity to synergise the detection and notification of priority zoonotic diseases. In 2019, CGPP received additional funds to support Ethiopia’s health security program by integrating community-based surveillance for three priority zoonotic diseases – Anthrax, Rabies, and Brucellosis. In this connection, CORE Group Polio – Global Health Security (CGP-GHS) Project has been working on three VPDs and three PZDs to enhance community-based surveillance through one health and community-centered approach.

Based on the guideline provided by WHO, Ethiopia has adapted the four strategies to eradicate polio. These are achieving high routine immunization coverage, supplemental immunization activities, Acute Flaccid Paralysis (AFP) surveillance, and mop-up campaigns.

RATIONALE of the project.

Ethiopia is sustaining wild polio free status for the last more than six years. To sustain its polio-free status, communities play an important role in preventing, detecting, and responding to infectious diseases and disease threats. A community can help contain and control infectious disease threats, limiting the geographic spread, and saving lives. The CORE Group Polio Project builds upon its existing community-based polio and immunization programs to strengthen community capacities to prevent, detect, and respond to infectious disease threats.

OWDA believes in expanding and extending its vast community-level intervention to other national public health priorities. Hence, it integrates Priority Zoonotic Diseases (PZDs) into its existing Community-Based VPD Surveillance system that can contribute a lot to the national surveillance system, particularly in the hard to reach pastoralist and along the international borders of the countries. Moreover, the existing community-based intervention, such as newborn tracking for polio birth dose and immunization activities, will continue in this FY.

STRATEGIES: The community is key to outbreak and epidemic preparedness. CGP-GHS Project will build upon its existing, community-based polio and immunization programs to strengthen and expand existing community capacities to prevent, detect, and respond to infectious disease threats in Ethiopia. CGP-GHS project activities overlaid on as many of the CORE NGO programs in-country as feasible while playing a leading role in Community Based VPD Surveillance. There will be no stand-alone CGPP or GHS grants; all will be add-ons to existing NGO efforts. Recognizing that an effective ‘last-mile’ supply chain is crucial for a rapid, efficient response, the Global Health Security component under the CORE Group Polio Project and GHS programs will also collaborate with other USAID GHSA partners in Ethiopia.

BENEFICIARIES: OWDA is committed to implement the full component of polio eradication and PZD Surveillance activities in 134 Kebeles in 10 Woredas in Somali region. The project will target a total population of 1,243,909 in a duration of five year of which 658,025 are under fifteen 154,444 are under five, and 43,829 are under one; and years old.