The main objective of this intervention was to improve the conservation of natural resources (soil, vegetation and water) enhance biodiversity, agro forestry development and income generation. In this regard, some of the achievements gained include:

• improved local NRM efforts and agro forestry practice (more than 4,426,051 multipurpose seedlings planted, 864ha of land covered and 79% of surviving)
• 2ha of remnant forest land and demonstration sites protected through PFM approach
• enhanced community knowledge and skill on NRM (more than 300 farmers established forest lands and 444 farmers engaged in agro forestry)
• community awareness on the issue of environment is improving
• 338 farmers practice improved fodder development
• 85 farmers benefited being engaged in soil bund construction with biological stabilization
• 851 fuel wood saving cooking stoves distributed & 4 stove producers earned income

Gurmuu has meaningfully contributed towards the improvement of access to clean water supply, sanitation and hygiene for the disadvantaged rural people. The activities in this regard emphasized springs development using on spot and distribution system integrating hygiene, sanitation and NRM. Most of the water supply schemes implemented by Gurmuu are operational with grid power and solar energy.  

To this end:

• Developed and ensured sustainable potable water supply within a distance of 1km (30 minutes round trip)
  • Addressed 24,244 people which is an increase to the potable water coverage of the target areas from 53% to 63%  (from 96,671 to 114,600 population)
  • On average women and young girls in 10 target villages travel 30minutes (round trip) for water collection
• Ensured collective and sustained water schemes management in the areas
• Increased sanitation and hygiene practices among the target people
  • 64% of the HHs attain pit latrines, solid waste management and critical hand washing

To improve children’s access to basic education opportunity and enhance quality educational provision in rural areas, Gurmuu assists community managed basic education. The activities in this regard envisaged improvement of the physical learning environment of primary schools with desks, establishing toilet facilities and libraries. Moreover, it contributes towards the wholesome growth and development of children through encouraging girls’ education, promotion of child rights, enabling children and adolescents build positive behavior and personalities, and prevention from HTPs and HIV/AIDS.

Among the main achievements in this regard include:

• Established four primary schools and the scheme has created access to basic education opportunity to 2,519 rural children (54% are girls)
• Contributed towards improved children’s learning environment (with better facilities through provision of desks, furnishing classrooms, toilet facilities and establishing reading rooms)
• Enhanced children awareness towards their rights through CRC, importance of girls’ education, gender issues, prevention from HTPs and HIV/AIDS
• Developed a child protection policy towards promoting child rights and protection of same.

Realizing the positive contributions of beekeeping in terms of income generation, source of food and ecological friendliness, Gurmuu has introduced improved beekeeping and market development in rural areas. Some of the achievements:

• Improved knowledge and skill of beekeepers
  • 5,616 beekeepers capacitated on improved beekeeping techniques and management
  • Colony management – colonized hives per capita is 30 hives/beekeeper
  • Increased productivity per hive (from 2 to 16kgs)
  • Honey quality – low moisture content (16.2%)
• Increased honey production per household from 115kgs to 223kgs (94% increase) with good market orientation
• Increased annual income of household from beekeeping from Birr 4,997 to 35,920
• Enhanced production and supply of apiary inputs
  • Framed and TBH hives, bee fodder plants and bee colony supply increased in the target areas
• Beekeeping develops as main source of income which was previously a sideline
• Women involvement in beekeeping increased (5% to 22%)
• Livelihood/job opportunity created for the land less, unemployed youth and poor women
• Beekeeping developed as new business enterprise (beekeepers started to invest in their apiary expansion)
• Improved market access and linkages (Beekeepers Economic and Marketing Associations/BEMA initiated)

Gurmuu promotes the women self-help groups (SHGs) approach since 2007 to help poor women overcome their social and economic burdens and fight against gender based violence and to defend for their human rights. Gurmuu has got technical and financial supports from HEKS, KNH, IIWF, Consortium of Self Help Group Approach Promoters (CoSAP) and EU-CSF through CoSAP.

Among the achievements in this regard mainly include:

• The establishment of 119 SHGs, 13 CLAs and three federation directly benefiting more than 2,715 poor women and their 4,021 children
• The SHGs have got a total capital of Birr 4,558,300.75 with own savings and internal loan scheme
• Poor women get access to micro credit, involved in petty businesses and hence improved income
• 15 SHGs linked to microfinance institutions and are obtaining loan for their business initiatives
• 851 fuel wood saving cooking stoves distributed & 4 stove producers earned income
• Besides the economic benefits, poor women develop leadership skills, able to send their children to schools, got health related education, better to manage their houses, pay their agricultural input debts on time and social cohesion
• Improved women participation in their own affairs (social, economic and political)

To contribute to adolescents’ health and mainly ensure young girls have better awareness on sexual and reproductive issues, learn to develop individual abilities, freedom from abuse, and violence in homes and communities; Gurmuu supports SRH education and adolescent girls empowerment through school focused projects.

The major achievements in this regards include:

• Two youth-to-youth SRH clubs established: half of the club members are girls
• Improved 5,745 adolescents’ knowledge and awareness related to reproductive health which include: prevention of early sex practices,
• Unwanted/childhood pregnancies, assertiveness, self-esteem development, STDs and HTPs

Gurmuu is also undertaking social accountability programs which promote the improvement of basic services, community empowerment for their entitlements, transparency, accountability and conflict mitigations.

• Over 85,000 people have been engaged and addressed with various social accountability tools
• Citizens empowered to voice for their entitlements
• Greater community initiatives in participating in planning and decision making process related to local development, budgeting and expenditure tracking
• Better cooperation in joint action planning and follow up among citizens and service providers

Because of COVID 19 pandemic, deteriorating livelihood, inflations and recently escalating conflicts; many rural families are experiencing food insecurity, instability and displacement. To address such families, Gurmuu has supported:

• About 1,980 affected families with emergency assistance (cash, nonfood items and small ruminants) in six target Districts.

To enable citizens’ exercise their fundamental and democratic rights, Gurmuu promotes human rights, civic and voters education as well as monitoring and observation of elections. The following are some of the achievements in this regard:

• Provided civic and voters education trainings directly to 1,900 youth first time voters, women, people with disabilities and the general electorate
• Raised the awareness of 69,934 general voting population through dissemination of various communication materials and audio based mobile advocacy

To promote community-based conflict transformation, peacebuilding, inclusive and cohesive communities; Gurmuu is strengthening and empowering customary institutions, the Oromo Siiqqee women and the Oromia Customary Court, Jaarsummaa in the current Sheger City (Towns Surrounding Addis Ababa).

Children and women are the most affected segments of the community due to conflicts and subsequent displacements. To respond to child protection issues under conflict situation, Gurmuu in partnership with UNICEF is implementing emergency child protection and GBV prevention projects in conflict contexts. We provide case management services, psychosocial services including trauma healing, GBV prevention and response services, awareness on sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA) and its prevention.