USAID Awards Grants to Project Mercy to Boost Health and Livelihoods

Project Mercy Executive Director Marta Gabre-Tsadick (left) and USAID Ethiopia Mission Director Dennis Weller shake hands
Project Mercy Executive Director Marta Gabre-Tsadick (left) and USAID Ethiopia Mission Director Dennis Weller (right) shake hands after signing a memorandum of understanding witnessed by U.S. Ambassador to Ethiopia Donald E. Booth.
Nena Terrell, USAID Ethiopia

For Immediate Release

Thursday, June 20, 2013

Yetebon, SNNPR – The U.S. Government, through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), launched two activities with Project Mercy to boost health and livelihoods in communities in the SNNPR and Amhara regions. Yetebon, a Gurage community near Butajira in the SNNP region, will benefit from  maternal and child health services. The major part of the grant is to use upgrade and use the Project Mercy hospital and facilities to train 400 midwives who willd eploy across the SNNPR region to boost the Ministry of Health's and USAID efforts tor educe the high death rate of mothers and newborns. In Chacha, in the North Shoa zone of Amhara region, Project Mercy participants will benefit from improved cow milk production, improved child nutrition and greater household income from the sale of milk. USAID will provide technical assistance and training to the two projects valued at approximately two million dollars over the next four years. Project Mercy serves up to 70,000 people in the Yetebon and Chacha communities.

USAID’s Human Resources for Health project, led by Jhpiego, will train 400 professional midwives from the SNNPR region to reduce maternal and newborn deaths and injuries in child birth. Additionally, USAID will make infrastructure improvements to Project Mercy’s hospital and provide additional equipment and supplies.

USAID’s Livestock Market Development project, led by CNFA, will train 65 households near Chacha to care for cows provided by Project Mercy, increase milk production, and improve the nutrition of their children.This activity will strengthen the success of Project Mercy’s current efforts to cross-breed local dairy cows with American dairy cows in order to improve both the quantity and quality of milk production. Technical experts will train participants on proper dairy cattle management techniques including production and development of forage for the cows.

“Improving the health and economic status of all Ethiopians requires a collaborative endeavor among government and nongovernmental organizations, community leaders and the community members themselves. Our shared goal is to fight disease and preventable deaths of mothers and children, ensure food security and nutrition, and promote sustainable progress in the communities where Project Mercy operates,” said U.S. Ambassador to Ethiopia Donald E. Booth at the signing ceremony in Yetebon.

Project Mercy is a not-for-profit relief and development organization based in the United States and Ethiopia. USAID grants to Project Mercy are part of the agency's larger effort to build the capcity of local organizations for sustained development efforts.


See Also

Press Release USAID Project Mercy Partnership [PDF, 54 KB]

Press Release USAID Project Mercy Partnership - Amharic [PDF, 113 KB]

Remarks by U.S. Ambassador to Ethiopia Donald E. Booth [PDF, 143 KB]

Remarks by USAID Administrator Dr. Rajiv Shah [video, 3:32]

Fact Sheet, USAID - Project Mercy Partnership [PDF, 230 KB]

Related Resources

USAID Ethiopia: Agriculture and Food Security

USAID Ethiopia: Feed the Future

USAID Ethiopia: Global Health Initiative

USAID Ethiopia: Nutrition

USAID Ethiopia: Health Systems