Rural Outreach Programs

A Brief Progress Report on the Kolela Solar Village and Integrated Development Project

The University has now designed an integrated plan for the village as a whole for the 2006 E.C budget year the components of which are water and energy supply, School improvement and infrastructure and livelihood improvement and social mobilization. Preparations are under way to install a solar panel to supply water to the school and some members of the community as the spring development and construction work is completed. Activities that are designed to improve the household livelihood and health conditions of the Kolela community are already started by the different professionals of the University who, having preliminary discussions and consultations with the members of the Kollela kebele leadership committee and some members of the Kebele on 1/o6/ 2006 E.C at Merawi, conducted an intensive discussion with the people of Kolela on 2/06/2006 E.C at Kollela Michael Church where people were given the opportunity to select and group the people into areas they can be most productive after elaborated explanations and presentations of the professionals.

Birr Watershed Integrated Natural Resources Management

 With the strong support of the Former President of Bahir Dar University, Dr. Yeshimebrat Kassa and other committed individuals in the University, the University took the initiative to intervene in one of the degraded watersheds of Adama Mountain, i.e., the Birr-Adama watershed. The project intervention was officially inaugurated by the former Vice Prime Minister of Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, his Excellency Ato Addisu Legesse and the current Vice Prime Minister of Ethiopia, his Excellency Ato Demeke Mekonnen and the Current President of Amhara National Regional State, his Excellency Ato Gedu Andargachew on 11 July 2002 E.C. together with the inauguration of Adet-Feres Bet road. At the beginning the Vice President of Research and Community services offices allocated fund for comprehensive feasibility study in the area. The study was entitled as “Comprehensive Study on Research, Development and Management Interventions in Birr- Adama Watershed.”