Addis Ababa ( AMECO) – War-damaged schools, health clinics, and administrative centres in Amhara region’s South Wollo zone have reopened following a community-led recovery initiative backed by international funding, local officials have confirmed.
The reconstruction in Dessie Zuria woreda (district), funded by more than 82m Ethiopian birr from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), marks a significant step in stabilising communities heavily impacted by recent conflict. Beyond restoring physical infrastructure, the initiative has provided over 750,000 birr in financial support to organize local women into economic cooperatives, relying heavily on community participation to drive long-term recovery.
A delegation from UNDP Ethiopia recently completed a field visit to inspect the newly restored social and economic facilities. Dr Samuel Gbaydee, representing UNDP Ethiopia, described the project execution as highly encouraging, highlighting the active role of local development groups, legal aid specialists, and social courts in restoring civic stability.
“The objective of the programme is to stabilise communities post-conflict, return service institutions to their original capacity, and assist local administration in resuming services for the public,” Gbaydee said, adding that strong local engagement was crucial to the project’s success.
The localized recovery effort comes against a backdrop of widespread destruction across the broader Amhara region. Dr Abate Getahun, head of the Amhara Regional Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Fund Office, acknowledged that conflict had damaged more than 94 woredas, making a single, immediate resolution impossible.
To address the scale of the destruction, regional authorities and international development partners—including the World Bank and UNDP—have targeted 199 locations across affected districts. Currently, 1,408 reconstruction projects are under way across the region in the education, health, and agriculture sectors, with UNDP directly supporting rehabilitation across 12 woredas.
Jemal Muhammad, administrator of Dessie Zuria woreda, confirmed that essential facilities are now fully operational. Local residents and beneficiaries expressed satisfaction at the restoration of public services, while regional authorities confirmed that the broader reconstruction drive will continue into the 2019 Ethiopian fiscal year.
