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Human development and income

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Livelihoods apart from farming

The majority of Ethiopians live off the land – mostly from hand to mouth. The existing arable land has long since become insufficient for all. There is a lack of income alternatives apart from farming. Many of those who have no opportunity to improve their standard of living feel compelled to leave their homeland.

Through its work Menschen für Menschen creates opportunities for development and helps the rural population to secure their livelihood. Handicraft courses and microcredits give many families a new start in life with an additional income and stabilize their existence.

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Our activities

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  • Microcredits for women
  • Small businesses and business start-ups (carpentry, pottery, sewing course, training for improved handiwork, training in entrepreneurial skills, support for start-ups)
  • Homes for children and young people
  • Infrastructure (bridges, road construction, stairways)
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Promotion of women

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Women in Ethiopia are disadvantaged in many ways. Especially in rural areas they must work hard, but seldom have their own income and are thus to a high degree dependent on their husbands.

“Only when we improve the social standing of women will Ethiopia overcome poverty in the long run!” Karlheinz Böhm once said, and exhorted the people to equality of men and women.
Although the Ethiopian constitution concedes largely the same rights to women as men, girls and women are still strongly discriminated in everyday life. They bear – in the truest sense of the word – the main burden of poverty. Together with the antiquated way of thinking, time- and work-intensive tasks in the household prevent them from receiving a school education or vocational training, and bar them from gainful employment.

To improve their living conditions and strengthen their social standing, we offer manual training course and microcredit programmes specially for women. That helps them develop their spirit of initiative. It releases them from dependence and is thus the key to sustainable development of society overall.

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In the Dano project area women work in the production of wood-saving stoves, so-called green stoves.
Women bear, in the truest sense of the word, the main burden of poverty.
Sewing cooperative in the Wore Illu project area.
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Our achievements

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28.797
Women who have taken up microcredits
94.705
Participants in home economics courses
5.440
Paricipants in handicrafts training courses
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Learn more about our achievements
The Menschen für Menschen Foundation - Karlheinz Böhms Ethiopia Aid is a public foundation under civil law. It is registered with the Munich tax office under the tax number 143/235/72144 and was last exempted from corporation and trade tax by decision of 11th June 2018 for the promotion of tax-privileged purposes and thus recognised as a non-profit organisation.