Chencha Project, Ethiopia

See the progress you helped make happen in your sponsored community

When the project started, farmers were struggling to produce enough food, there weren't enough schools or health clinics, and access to clean water and toilets was limited.

Thanks to your support, your sponsored child and other children in the Chencha community have improved access to education, healthcare and clean water.

Together we've achieved so much

91 percent of children are enrolled in school

This is up from 28 percent in 2007.

  • The average distance that children have to cover to reach the nearest school has reduced from 7.5km to 3km following construction of eight schools and classroom blocks for 16 primary and nine high schools.
  • Toilets for girls and boys were built at 10 primary and three high schools, and six school libraries and two science labs were built.
  • The teacher-pupil ratio fell from 1:110 in 2002 to 1:53 in 2014. In addition, 60 primary school teachers took part in professional development supported by the project.

More than 85 percent of people now live close to a health clinic

This is up from 20 percent in 2002, following the construction of new clinics.

  • Health and hygiene education has motivated mothers to give birth in clinics and have their children immunised.
  • 96 percent of households now have hygienic toilets. This, along with the rehabilitation of clean water sources has led to a major reduction in diarrhoea amongst children.
  • Community members have learned about HIV and AIDS – how to prevent its spread and how to care for those affected.

133,000+ people took part in agricultural skills training

This training was accompanied by provision of apple and coffee seedlings and over 16,000 cows, sheep and horses.

  • The project also helped to improve farm production by supporting construction of 8km of irrigation canals and 11 bridges, four dams and 24 wells, a veterinary health post, two agricultural training centres and 252 demonstration farms.
  • Savings groups were formed and farmers have organised themselves into co-ops to gain access to new markets and greater profits.
  • 839 people took part in vocational skills training in fields such as bamboo crafts, weaving, masonry, plumbing, tailoring, mechanics and hairdressing.

"Thanks to World Vision our community are able to send their children to school, get health service[s] in their village and clear drinking water."

- Chencha government representative