We are delighted with the news that our partner MELCA-Ethiopia is country winner in the Educating Africa Pan-African Awards for Entrepreneurship in Education. Environmental education and intergenerational learning are key to MELCA’s innovative work for healthy ecosystems, vibrant cultures and improved lives for communities.
Currently, MELCA works in the Bale Mountains, Sheka Forest and Suba Forest in Ethiopia. Activiites include participatory mapping, sustainable income generating activities, building ecosystem resilience, promoting bio-cultural diversity and working for environmental governance. To see bio-cultural diversity conserved for healthy ecosystem and sustainable life is the foremost concern of MELCA and ts staff and members strongly believe that this can be achieved by innovative educational and entrepreneurial initiatives. Its innovative SEGNI programme links youth with nature, culture and self – creating responsiblity for the conservation of their cultural and ecological heritage.
As Dr. Million Belay, Director of MELCA Ethiopia, says, “This is a recognition to years of work by the local actors, Regional and International Partners and MELCA. The award is an encouragement to us to strengthen what we have started and what we saw working for the youth, the bigger community, Nature and the culture of our people.”
Now in its fifth year, the Pan African Awards for Entrepreneurship continue to reward organizations in Africa that use innovative and entrepreneurial techniques to fill gaps in educational services across the continent. The aim of the competition was to identify and celebrate the achievements of social entrepreneurs who understand the role education can play within their communities. Entries were assessed against the criteria of entrepreneurship, sustainability, and impact. The winners were selected by a panel of international judges.
”With this competition we were looking for programmes which are innovative, sustainable and create real impact – and we have found them. By awarding them we hope to encourage others to imitate winner’s approach and work towards more and better education in Africa”, says Nik Kafka, Managing Director of Teach A Man To Fish.
More detailed information about this year’s winners is available here:
http://teachamantofish.org.uk/pan-african-awards-2012-winners
More about the competition organizers
- TeachAManToFish is an international non-profit organization working to improve the relevancy, quality, and availability of education in developing countries. Our pioneering approach uses profit-making school-run businesses to teach entrepreneurship and livelihood skills. This model allows schools to generate additional income, improving their financial sustainability, while at the same time enabling them to offer a more relevant and higher quality education.
- Educating Africa is a foundation committed to introducing cost effective and sensible education initiatives throughout Africa, and to acknowledging some of the tremendous educational projects that have been developed across the continent. It is apparent that there are superb educational ideas, generous benefactors and intellectual capital that is willing and able to be invested in worthwhile educational projects. However, often there is a mismatch in linking the various groups. Educating Africa seeks to bridge this gap and match up these groups.
For more information please contact:
Mersha Yilma
Information and Communication Officer
Tel: +251-11-550-71-72
MELCA Ethiopia
P.O. Box 1519 Code 1250
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia